Fort Worth Water Gardens

The Fort Worth Water Gardens is an urban park located on the south end of downtown Fort Worth. It covers 4.3-acres (1.7 hectares) between Houston and Commerce Streets next to the Fort Worth Convention Center. The Water Gardens were built in 1974, designed by noted New York architects Philip Johnson and John Burgee, and were dedicated to the City of Fort Worth by the Amon G. Carter Foundation.

The focal points of the park are three pools of water. The Quiet Pool is encircled with cypress trees and towering walls that are covered in thin planes of water that cascade almost 90 degrees down to the sunken blue water feature. The Aerated Pool features multiple illuminated spray fountains under a canopy of large oak trees. The Active Pool is the main attraction of the Water Gardens, and has water cascading 38 feet (11 m) down terraces and steps into a small pool at the bottom.

The park is frequently billed as a "cooling oasis in the concrete jungle" of downtown. A terraced knoll helps to shield it from the rest of the City. Interstate 30 was relocated from its former site immediately adjacent to the Water Gardens, making the south end of the park quieter. The park is now situated adjacent to Lancaster Avenue.