Seger Water Feature

RethinkTANK's founder Jason Lempieri, served as a facilitator to help revitalize a public playground in Center City, Philadelphia. As a member of the Friends of Seger Park, Jason Lempieri worked with the group and local stakeholders to develop a set of requirements for a new water feature. The requirements including surprise, various types of sprays were embellished by a set of questions such as the following:

How can the children/adults apply themselves to turn on the water and for how long? What analog mechanisms, accessible to 4-year-olds and above, could power the water elements? How can a child direct and watch a created floating object run through part of the feature? How do passive and active areas of the water feature mix to create clear zones, yet with overlapping functions? What paving patterns reflect the work? Can areas be "shaded" from water flow for a brief respite? What form does this work become during winter? Can icicles form to create another visual interest? Would lighting at night create a magical effect? Can any part of this work be used to educate?

These requirements were then submitted globally in a call for submissions to a competition. 40 national and a few from overseas registered to participate. The public was educated about the works and upon what parameters to vote. The winnowed selection was then put forth to a design jury using similar guidelines. The winning entry was by Nathan Howe and Sam Zeller from Kansas State University.

The existing water feature painted to advertise the public jury voting.

Local public voting at the Seger Park Recreation center.

Renderings courtesy of Nathan Howe and Sam Zeller.