Musical Dancing Fountain
Piazza della Repubblica, Messina

Piazza della Repubblica in Messina is characterized by a large circular fountain, which over the years has seen a succession of ups and downs, between periods of majestic water features and others of neglect. On the occasion of the Christmas holidays, the Municipality of Messina together with AMAM SpA has chosen to offer the city a restyling of the water features in Piazza della Repubblica, transforming the basin into a musical dancing fountain. The design of the fountain was conceived and curated by the architect Simona M. Favrin, and the creation was the work of Forme d'Acqua Venice Fountains. The old nozzle ring was replaced by a custom-made AISI316L stainless steel frame, with a diameter of 7 meters, in which 28 dynamic nozzles were installed. Each nozzle is connected to a controllable speed pump and an RGB+W LED spot, to make each jet of water independent in the choreography and lighting. A second AISI316L stainless steel frame with a diameter of 1.20 meters was mounted in the center, which houses the Crown Nozzle, a multi-jet nozzle that generates a high and majestic crown of water that reaches 5 meters in height. The Crown Nozzle is powered by three controllable speed pumps and is illuminated by 4 RGB+W LED spots. The water and light choreographies were created by the technical programmers of Forme d'Acqua, in collaboration with the designer arch. Simona M. Favrin – FavrinDesign, who were able to give a new voice to the musical dancing fountain, making its communicative capacity even more persuasive. To inaugurate the work, 10 songs were programmed, chosen from the most followed and loved hits both nationally and internationally, such as "Hold my hand" by Lady Gaga, "Once upon a time in the west" by Ennio Morricone, " Supremacy” by Muse, “Zitti e buoni” by Maneskin and “Viva la vida” by Coldplay. Considering the period, “All I want for Christmas is You” by Mariah Carey is inevitable to make the Christmas atmosphere even more magical. Thanks to the installation of an anemometer, in the event of strong winds, the water features are lowered proportionally until they are turned off (in the event of particular bad weather conditions that make it impossible for the water shows to take place correctly), to always guarantee the full efficiency of the fountain. In addition to being highly emotional, this fountain is also sustainable, because the MEP parts have been completely redesigned and a water filtration and recirculation system has been created, which allows the continuous reuse of water, which is automatically replenished when needed. To guarantee the correct functioning of the mechanical parts, a panel has been installed for the automatic chlorination and acidification of the water, to always keep it clean and free of limescale. The birth of the fountain in Piazza della Repubblica dates back to the Second World War and was created with the remains of another fountain already existing in the ancient Piazza Cavallotti, designed in 1902 by the Chief Engineer of the Municipality Leandro Caselli to celebrate the construction of the city aqueduct. After a long period of abandonment, in 2019 the company AMAM SpA (Azienda Meridionale Acque Messina, which manages the Integrated Water Service of the entire territory of the metropolitan city of Messina) adopted the fountain in Piazza della Repubblica, restoring the games of water for the pleasure of citizens and tourists. In 2023, static water features gave way to the technology of the musical dancing fountain, which transformed Piazza della Repubblica into the most beautiful business card in the city.  

Gianluca Orazio, CEO of Forme d'Acqua, says: For centuries, fountains have played a leading role in the elegance of urban architecture, intertwining social function, captivating aesthetics and expressive power. In the current context, fountains persist as a fulcrum of conviviality, beauty and well-being, and precisely by virtue of this, the renovation of the fountain in Piazza della Repubblica promises to give a fresh vitality to the city fabric of Messina. Among the majestic monumental fountains, water features now emerge that combine technological innovation and style, conquering the hearts of citizens and visitors of every generation.