Noguchi-designed fountain flows again, but higher, in Bayfront Park

Water is once again flowing through the newly renovated fountain at Bayfront Park, where its historic design meets modern enhancements.

City officials gathered at Bayfront Park last week for an evening ribbon-cutting ceremony as the sunset and the Mildred and Claude Pepper Fountain’s vibrant, colorful display took centerstage. After decades of disuse, the iconic downtown Miami landmark has been restored with state-of-the-art features while preserving the original design by renowned Japanese American sculptor and landscape architect Isamu Noguchi.

The $5.5-million renovation, which began in July 2024, revitalized the fountain with over 800 synchronized water jets, 500 lights and a central water screen capable of projecting images and videos. Bayfront Park Management Trust Chair Joe Carollo first unveiled the refurbished fountain during the park’s annual New Year’s Eve celebration, marking a new chapter for the long-dormant attraction.

Originally opened in 1990, the fountain was a key element of Mr. Noguchi’s vision for a reimagined Bayfront Park. The design plan included an open-air amphitheater and several sculptural elements along with the fountain, meant to create a serene centerpiece within downtown Miami’s urban landscape.

However, within a decade the city reduced the fountain’s operating hours due to maintenance costs, and by 1999 it was running at half power. It fell into disuse and, in the mid-2000s, was temporarily repurposed as a launch zone for a private hot-air balloon business.

Mr. Carollo, who played a key role in approving the fountain’s original construction during his first term as a city commissioner, recalled its history. “I was the critical vote back in the day, in a three-two vote to approve the fountain and the rest of the park for Noguchi to design it. It was me, Maurice Ferré and the Reverend Theodore Gibson,” Mr. Carollo told Miami Today. “Later, when I was mayor, everything was working. But a year and a half after I left, they decided to shut it down. I heard that it was too expensive to run.”

After the hot air balloon business left, the fountain remained dormant, with massive concrete pillars weighing over 4,000 pounds each still inside the structure, further complicating any restoration efforts. When Mr. Carollo became chair of the Bayfront Park Management Trust, he pushed for the fountain’s revival.

“All the firms told us we had to tear it down and start with a new one, and that if we try to take down the 4,000-pound pillars, it would probably cave in. All the pipes, the electrical equipment and generators underneath the fountain were flooded. We were told by everyone we brought in there that it was climate change and that we couldn’t have anything underneath anymore because it would flood again,” he said.

He explained that the firm eventually contracted for the renovation, DG Aqua, determined the flooding was from fresh water and not salt water as expected with climate change, and the source was a broken pipe that had been leaking for years. “So there’d be no chance in the future of that equipment running the same fate as before, we built a small structure underneath that everything’s inside,” he detailed.

Despite the challenges, the newly renovated fountain retains its original Noguchi-inspired aesthetic while embracing an array of modern enhancements.

“It was very important for me that we kept the original Noguchi design. We just made it bigger,” Mr. Carollo said, adding that the original spouts reached a height of just 50 feet and the upgraded system now propels water as high as 150 feet.

“We have all kinds of color lights that Noguchi’s original design didn’t have and eight big spotlights on the side. On top of that, the fountain is surrounded by the best speakers you can find anywhere in the world for music. We were able to mix the old with the new,” he continued.

“The lighting shows are unreal,” Mr. Carollo said. “And I made sure we had a recurring monetary stream to pay for water bills, light bills, maintenance and operational expenses.” Operating and maintaining the fountain is estimated to cost $20,000 to $30,000 a month.

Further beautification efforts around the fountain’s edge are ongoing to create a protective buffer.

“We’re still doing some additional work around it, like putting a garden through the whole perimeter of the fountain that will come forward about four or five feet,” Mr. Carollo said. “This way, we protect it more…” from debris entering the water.

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