This commission was to develop three large urban water features within the open public space surrounding the new Greater London Assembly Headquarters building. This was a design collaboration with Foster and Partners and Townshend Landscape Architects to develop three unique linked features, each exploring the different nature and qualities of water. The intention was to give each of the public spaces its own defined character, using the device of water to link each space.
“The Riverside” features two hundred and ten white water jets set within a limestone paved surface, arranged in banks that run through a choreographed sequence. The design was particularly complex due to the varying falls across the paving, compounded by an opposing fall within the main slab. The piece includes a series of underground pools hidden beneath the paving, accessed via a series of concealed recessed covers.
“The Rill” is a simple cut through the paving, running over 260m from the Riverside space diagonally across the site down towards Tooley Street. The design intent was for the feature to appear almost as if a fissure had opened within the Limestone, revealing a natural watercourse beneath the paving. The piece was designed in order to maximise the visual effect of the flowing water, creating chevrons of ripples as the rill traverses the different gradients across the site. Central to the design are the illuminated crossing points that allow safe pedestrian access across the piece.
“The Water Benches” are four huge monolithic blocks of Kilkenny Blue limestone that establish a formal geometry within this important Gateway to the development. Water emerges on the surface of each bench and flows evenly over all edges, disappearing through a slot in the paving. The benches also act as an effective piece of signage for the development, with laser-cut lettering inset into the end of each form.
The three different features are served by two large underground plant rooms in the basement of the development. These house the recirculating pump sets and sophisticated filtration and chemical dosing sets to automatically maintain the water quality. The entire system is monitored and controlled by a software based electrical control panel, using bespoke software which we have specially developed for our commissions.
We were originally employed as a design consultant to develop the concept design under a direct appointment from the client. We were subsequently employed as a Trade Contractor on a design and build basis by Mace, the construction managers, and successfully completed our works back in the summer of 2003.
The features are currently maintained by our sister company The Fountain Workshop (Maintenance) Limited.
“The Riverside” features two hundred and ten white water jets set within a limestone paved surface, arranged in banks that run through a choreographed sequence. The design was particularly complex due to the varying falls across the paving, compounded by an opposing fall within the main slab. The piece includes a series of underground pools hidden beneath the paving, accessed via a series of concealed recessed covers.
“The Rill” is a simple cut through the paving, running over 260m from the Riverside space diagonally across the site down towards Tooley Street. The design intent was for the feature to appear almost as if a fissure had opened within the Limestone, revealing a natural watercourse beneath the paving. The piece was designed in order to maximise the visual effect of the flowing water, creating chevrons of ripples as the rill traverses the different gradients across the site. Central to the design are the illuminated crossing points that allow safe pedestrian access across the piece.
“The Water Benches” are four huge monolithic blocks of Kilkenny Blue limestone that establish a formal geometry within this important Gateway to the development. Water emerges on the surface of each bench and flows evenly over all edges, disappearing through a slot in the paving. The benches also act as an effective piece of signage for the development, with laser-cut lettering inset into the end of each form.
The three different features are served by two large underground plant rooms in the basement of the development. These house the recirculating pump sets and sophisticated filtration and chemical dosing sets to automatically maintain the water quality. The entire system is monitored and controlled by a software based electrical control panel, using bespoke software which we have specially developed for our commissions.
We were originally employed as a design consultant to develop the concept design under a direct appointment from the client. We were subsequently employed as a Trade Contractor on a design and build basis by Mace, the construction managers, and successfully completed our works back in the summer of 2003.
The features are currently maintained by our sister company The Fountain Workshop (Maintenance) Limited.
