Testing the waters for bringing the Vaillancourt Fountain back to life

"It was intended as a total environment, as space animated by people as well as water," said Charles Brinbaum, president of The Cultural Landscape Foundation. He's also an expert on Lawrence Halprin, the celebrated Bay Area landscape architect who conceived Justin Herman Plaza.

While Vaillancourt was the artist, the fountain’s come-hither aspirations were in sync with other Halprin projects of the era.

“Halprin always wanted people to interact with his water features,” said Birnbaum, whose foundation organized an exhibition on the designer now on display at the Palace of Fine Arts. “His goal was to create places that encourage participation.”