These Splash Spots Turn New York City Fire Hydrants into Mini Water Parks During Hottest Months

New York creative company, Zulu Alpha Kilo, known for innovating the Tough Turban for Pfaff Harley Davidson and reimagining the school desk for online learning platform D2L, has released a beautiful new twist on a New York City tradition. 

For more than 100-years, when the temperature pushes past 90 degrees, New Yorkers across the city have turned to neighbourhood fire hydrants in search of a little watery relief. However, the caps employed to spray the water have been rudimentary at best. Until now. 

Introducing Splash Spots. A new proposal from Zulu Alpha Kilo for how New York City uncaps its hydrants during the hottest days of summer. Designed for maximum whimsy and water conservation, releasing approximately 50% less water than the standard hydrant spray cap, Splash Spots are an exciting and joyful build on the traditional caps the FDNY already uses. 

The agency partnered with the non-profit Street Lab, which aims to improve the urban environment, strengthen neighbourhoods, to help determine the four unique water experiences that would be most exciting and feasible. Each of the four Splash Spots are crafted for safety, durability and scalability. Attaching easily to the hydrant, each “spot” also comes with its own on/off function making them easier for the community to use. 

“Splash Spots were engineered to be pieces of art that you could really play with,” adds Colin P. Kelly, founder of Group Project, the industrial design partner that Zulu Alpha Kilo commissioned to help bring their idea to life.

“The design is both iconic and functional,” adds Stephanie Yung, chief design officer at Zulu Alpha Kilo. “We collaborated closely with our industrial design partners at Group Project to help bring our team’s vision to life.”

Splash Spots pays homage to something uniquely New York by doing something uniquely New York to it: reinventing it through creativity and ingenuity. 

“These really are first of their kind. Splash Spots aim to bring joy, a smile and a little cool down, to everyone who comes across them,” notes Tim Gordon, chief creative officer and partner of Zulu Alpha Kilo NY. 

Ultimately the hope is to work with the city to take these from prototype to something much bigger.

“This is just the beginning–perhaps some day in the future Splash Spots will be available in every firehouse across the five boroughs,” adds Tim.