Jump-Start Fountain for J.D. Independence

by Andrew Kranis
Jump-Start Fountain was first created as a temporary installation for Giardininterrazza, part of the Festival del Paesaggio e del Verde, at Rome’s Auditorium Parco della Musica, 18-20 May, 2012. I was the only American designer selected to create one of seven “Giardininterrazza”, or Terrace Gardens, to highlight sustainable urban ideas.
Description
Jump-Start Fountain blasts jets of water into the air, in equal measure to the physical exertion of the rider - rocking on a seesaw and pedaling a bicycle are the only energy inputs. It reclaims the runoff from a single city drinking fountain, harnessing the renewable energy of play to drive a continuously evolving dance of water . Made from 100% recycled and recyclable materials, this kinetic sculpture defies gravity, educates children and adults about human power, and suggests practical applications of water and energy conservation through fun and exercise.
With the $25,000 Jack Daniels Independence Prize, I hope to develop the concept further, toward a range permanent installations with practical and amusement applications, and to start my own business.