The annual P&G Flower Carpet on Fountain Square creates a beautiful design made entirely of flowers in the center of Cincinnati's most beloved public space.
Cincinnati graphic designer Joel Knueven was commissioned to design the 2009 Flower Carpet. Read more about the designer and the design.
Early in April, workers from the Cincinnati Park Board will spend two days re-creating the design on the plaza using 24,000 potted pansy plants. The design uses flowers in eight colors - white, violet, yellow, red, rose, orange, blue, and pink. Green is achieved with a lettuce plant.
When complete, the design can be appreciated from ground level as well as from high above. Excellent views may be had from the third floor of the Westin hotel, Fountain Place (Palomino Restaurant), Via Vite Restaurant, and the observation deck at the top of the Carew Tower.
The Flower Carpet remains in place through the month of April. As the blooms open, the look changes a little each day. After two weeks it is in full bloom and very fragrant. The scent of fresh flowers is a surprising and welcome lift after the dreariness of late winter.
On Sunday, April 26, the display will be dismantled starting at 8 a.m., and the public will be allowed to take pansies home for free. The Park Board will plant remaining pansies in nearby parks.
Cincinnati's Flower Carpet was inspired by the biennial Floral Carpet in Brussels, Belgium. Since 2007, the City of Toronto, Ontario, and residents of Israel have approached Fountain Square Management for advice on creating their own installations.
The P&G Flower Carpet is produced by Fountain Square Management Group and the Cincinnati Park Board.
The 2009 Fountain Square Flower Carpet abstractly represents the change of seasons from winter to spring.
The circles can be viewed symbolically in several ways: as blooming flowers that bring color and vibrancy to spring; as ripples of water, referring to rain as well as to the Square's landmark fountain; or as seeds that grow as new life returns in spring. The circle motif also blends aesthetically with the Square by mimicking the shape of the fountain, café tables, and other curvilinear features of Fountain Square.
The interactions of the circles in the design have meaning, too. The upper, warm-colored circles represent the Sun as it radiates warmth to the cold ground, and the lower, cool-colored circles represent the earth as it thaws and winter gives way to spring. Soon life emerges and the colors of spring overcome the cold of winter. A mulched area creates small, winding paths where visitors can interact with and observe the piece as it blooms.
About the designer, Joel Knueven:
Joel Knueven, a graphic designer from Cincinnati, Ohio, graduated from Cincinnati State Technical and Community College with an Associate’s Degree in Communications.
After working as an interactive designer for three years, Joel completed his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design at Northern Kentucky University. While studying at NKU, he won several design awards for his work, including being recognized as one of Cincinnati Summerfair’s Emerging Artists.
Joel remains active in the design community through freelance work and his home-based screen-printing studio, Wax Werx Printing Company. He has served as the Art Director for the MidPoint Music Festival and has worked with nonprofit organizations to design logos and accompanying visual materials.
Joel is a full-time Instructor in Graphic Design at Cincinnati State Technical and Community College, where he is helping to guide and influence a new generation of artists and designers.
