Welcome to Sunol. Let’s explore the likely sounds of an architectural masterpiece, during its construction in the early 1900s – the Sunol Water Temple.
Willis Polk, the Temple's renowned architect, drew inspiration from an ancient temple in Tivoli, Italy. Both the Italian, and Sunol temples, feature similar ornamentation, such as the fluted columns with decorative "capitals" at the top.
But there are some unique variations in the Sunol Temple, such as a finial with four dolphins gracing the top of the temple, and frescos of water maidens painted on the ceiling.
Imagine walking around the temple and touching its unique surfaces. You immediately take note of the rough texture. Construction of the temple in Tivoli involved cutting stone, a labor-intensive process. Polk built his columns with concrete, reinforced with steel rebar, rather than natural stone. This material was innovative, less expensive, and seismically safer.
Imagine standing at the circular railing. Listen. Do you hear it? That's the sound of three different water sources converging in the temple's cistern. These waters are collected underground, from the Pleasanton Well Field, from Alameda Creek, and from Arroyo de la Laguna. They are then funneled through an aqueduct and pipeline, across the Bay, to San Francisco's reservoirs.
Centuries ago, you might have heard a similar sound in Tivoli. That temple was purposely built near the abundant water source that quenched Rome’s thirst. Natural water sources influenced the location and design of both temples.
But it was the sounds of industry and creativity, that preceded the sounds of water here in the 1900s. Hammers clanged, taut ropes whined, and construction workers called out, laboring to build this impressive structure.
Now listen more closely. Imagine the sounds coming from Willis Polk’s studio. Today it’s all about a computer keyboard strokes. But in the 1900s, Polk would have used a slide rule to perform countless calculations. An intent listener might have heard the sound of a pencil on paper, and use of a straight edge to assure that the column drawings remained true.
Be sure to explore the Sunol Water Temple yourself, and discover your own unique audio journey.