Branding vs. Lawrence Halprin

On Thursday I was walking to lunch when I happened past the Ira Keller Fountain and stopped.

Originally called the Forecourt Fountain, it was created by the famous landscape architect Lawrence Halprin. I still remember when it opened in 1970. My friends and I were among the multitudes who happily splashed about in its cool cascading waters. That was part of Halprin’s radical proposition – that the fountain was meant to be actually waded in, not just politely observed.

As I looked at the fountain these 39 years after it was built, I was struck by how mesmerizing it still is. With its multiple layers and the different angles of water produced by the horizontal and vertical facets, everywhere my eye went there was something enticing and rewarding. I felt like I could stand there for another half-hour – long enough to be significantly late for my business lunch.

How many things in the world do that?

As I tore myself away, I started thinking that brands need to aspire to be like Lawrence Halprin’s fountain. Why can’t a brand deliver meaning to the world at this level? Why can’t a brand give people something more than just the utility of its products or services?

Halprin was tasked with producing a piece of civic landscape architecture. His fountain could have been just as functional and forgettable as most, and he would have essentially earned his fees. Yet he gave something to Portland that cannot be measured in mere dollars and square footage.

Brands have the same opportunity. Whether it’s Patagonia or Apple or Ferrari or a Michael Graves teapot from Target – any number of brands have proven that a brand experience can be imbued with lasting value and meaning beyond just earning its price. It’s a matter of intention, determination, and heart.

- Doug