Origami Fountains by Ruth Asawa

The Origami Fountains consist of two distinct, flower-like sculptures situated along the Buchanan Mall in San Francisco’s Japantown. Each fountain takes the form of a folded paper design—a technique Ruth Asawa studied as a child and later refined through formal design problems at Black Mountain College. You can recognize these sculptures by their intricate, angular geometry that mimics the organic bloom of a lotus, set amidst a plaza that serves as a quiet community gathering space.