The fountain at the World's Fair Unisphere is being transformed into an interactive “fog garden”

Like a lot of leftover landmarks from the 1964–1965 World's Fair, the three reflecting pools taking up 10 acres of Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens are in sad shape. Called the The Fountain of the Fairs in their glory days, the water features, designed by Robert Moses, stretched along an axis connecting the Unisphere to the Fountain of the Planets to the east.

Photograph: Quennell Rothschild & Partners

Now, a two-phase reconstruction of the fountains has just been announced. Not simply a renovation, the plan calls for creating a children’s water park in place of the fountain furthest from Unisphere, while the middle fountain will be converted into a sunken amphitheater.

Photograph: Quennell Rothschild & Partners

The coolest amenity by far will be a “fog garden” replacing the fountain closest to the Unisphere. Built during the project's first phase, the garden will be equipped with 500 hidden sprinklers releasing bursts of mist rising four feet off the ground—which should lower ambient summer temperatures by quite a few degrees. While not exactly an outdoor art piece, the fog garden will be interactive, allowing you mingle among with the clouds of spray. Construction is scheduled to begin in April, so stay tuned.

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