LED lighting is popping up in unusual places all over the world.  Because of its range of colors, long life, and energy efficiency, LED technology is becoming more and more popular for use in art and architecture.  Fountains seem to be particularly well suited to LED lighting, and the Crown Fountain in Chicago’s Millennium Park is a complex and beautiful example.

The fountain is made up of two glass towers that are fifty feet high and separated by a reflecting pool.  The towers glow from the massive LED lighting display that is housed within them.  The LED lights change color and provide a moody glow to the fountain and pool.  Each tower has about seventy LED units.  Each of the towers shows the light through three sides, and on the fourth has an LED display screen where giant faces appear and even shoot water from their mouths.  These are random close-ups of resident Chicagoans, and they add a whole new dimension to the fountain.  The faces last for about five minutes each, making various expressions and finally culminating in spitting water from their mouths.  The fountain changes at night and instead of the faces shows nature images intermingling with simple solid colors.

The display’s designer, Jaume Plensa, had used LED technology before, and perhaps this is why he was able to so effectively use it to the utmost of its capabilities in this piece.  The team putting the piece together knew that LED was the way to go because if its low need for maintenance.  It wasn’t an easy job, however, since the lighting systems had to be waterproof, and also the designer wanted the glass towers to remain open and light.  The team may have had their work cut out for them, but the smiling faces of the people enjoying the final creation say it all – job well done!

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