At the center of a thumb-shaped public park and traffic island in downtown Detroit, this multi-tiered feature has become both a city icon and sanctuary. After negotiating the racetrack atmosphere of the park's perimeter and arriving at the fountain’s edge, one is left with the sound and sight of rushing water, and the din of the city falls away. The multi-level presentation draws the eye from a series of corner water arches to a raised platform, where sixty-four water columns carve out their own choreographed cityscape––a continuously shifting expression of liquid skyscrapers. And in a final act of one-upmanship, a ring of four jets shoots as high as ten stories into the air. The fountain is more than a place to regroup––it is also a navigational beacon. The sprouting water can be seen from all directions, including from six lanes of inbound traffic. Meeting a friend for a picnic on the grass? You might toss that map aside and just follow the water.