A large, metal fleur-de-lis sculpture was installed Wednesday in the UL Lafayette Quadrangle, the centerpiece of a water fountain and plaza being constructed as part of a student-designed makeover to the Quad.
The three-sided fleur-de-lis, which weighs about 3,000 pounds and is about 14 feet tall, was mounted atop a 4-foot concrete base inside the fountain.
The sculpture stands as “a symbol, an icon of the University,†said Tom Sammons, director of the School of Architecture and Design.
More than 100 UL Lafayette students worked on the fleur-de-lis over about five years, including architectural students who designed various aspects of the project as part of a Community Design Workshop group led by Sammons.
One of those students is Todd St. Julien, who earned a master’s degree in architecture and design from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. St. Julien is an architect with Trahan Architecture + Planning, a firm in Lafayette
“It was a true collaborative process, and it’s great to see the work of so many students come to life,†St. Julien said at the installation Wednesday.
The stainless steel fleur-de-lis was shaped and constructed by Begneaud Manufacturing of Scott. It was transported to the University early Wednesday morning, and lowered into place by a 40-ton crane.
The fleur-de-lis sculpture isn’t the only feature that will make the fountain stand out, according to Scott Hebert, a civil engineer with Garden City Construction in Lafayette.
Hebert, who earned his bachelor’s degree at UL Lafayette, said the fountain will be equipped with LED lighting that can be programmed to change colors, and light up the entire area at night.
“It will be a two-tiered fountain. Water will flow from the top tier, which the sculpture sits in, to the bottom tier, creating a waterfall effect,†Hebert said at the installation Wednesday.
Renovations to the Quad also include a plaza, new walkways and landscaping with crepe myrtles and magnolias.
“The Quad is the University’s living room, a public space surrounded by its first buildings. When people come to see the campus and these beautiful red buildings trimmed in white, they will also see a beautiful Quad,†Sammons said.
UL Lafayette’s Student Government Association spearheaded the Quad redesign in 2010. The project is the first major Master Plan project to be paid for with self-assessed student fees.
The Master Plan will guide campus growth, development and change over the next 15-20 years.
