Sunday, December 18, 2005

Winter Park Mall


Winter Park, Florida - Vintage

Looking at that incredible chalice-like fountain (which runneth over) in this stunning shot, I still can't imagine how you'd walk aorund it without getting wet! No barriers, ropes, or anything around it at all. On really hot and sticky summer days in Florida, I don't know how they kept people from cooling off in it (assuming they did stop them). See this earlier entry for a closer view of it.

13 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  2. Nice. That's a serious mall. Every stall is filled with an open store. You hardly see that at any mall now.

    The "Fountains of Youth" series is great.

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  3. I don't think that's water "flowing" out of the fountain. It's just decoration.

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  4. absolutely lovely interior design.

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  5. Yes, very very nice.

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  6. Fascinating site, just discovered it. Didn't know such things even existed. This is one very interesting mall. Cool lighting, etc. along with Topanga Plaza and Chris-Town one of my favourites (going from the photos). Like many things, the gaudiest things have the most character (think of 70s-80s fashion) hence 'style' is the anti-thesis of character. Anyway enough of my rambling.

    Looking at malls like this makes me think they should build a sort of novelty 'retro mall.' It would be a fully-functioning, modern shopping centre just in the style of a 60s or 70s mall. That would be very cool.

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  7. Wow. That's like an acid trip.

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  8. You do know that picture is backwards, right? Most of the text appears to be in reverse. I can see a ycamrahP s'neerglaW.

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  9. Being from winter park, I can attest that the water is actually flowing from that fountain. The method for keeping the water from splashing was actually rather ingenious, a channel that sunk down below the level of the surrounding floor was where the water fell into so the "splash" actually occured under the floor level.

    being a kid at the time I was facinated by it.

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  10. Ilove looking at the good old stuff!!!!

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  11. Oh, btw, Anonymous #2: Yes, apparently this photo IS backward! Thanks for catching that. :D I will fix it and update it later.

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  12. Great photo. Man, absolutely gorgeous modern design. Clean. Makes me smile.

    Everything nowadays looks like a Disney acid trip--particularly in Florida.

    I can say I don't care for the new Winter Park Village. Chintzy stores. Nightmare parking. Sits on 17-92, a traffic nightmare and car-jacker's paradise. The Mall or "Village" situated in an odd location; on the throws of the ghetto backed up against the edge of ultra-rich Winter Park...typical Florida burbs....

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  13. The fountain was hardly ever on because it splashed too much on the floor surrounding it, and the mall management was afraid of slip-and-fall lawsuits. I went there hundreds of times between 1975 and 1982 and only saw it turned on maybe twice. Sometimes during the Christmas season they would hang foil streamers down to simulate water.

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