The Fountain Workshop - Fountain design, build and management
 

More London

On the south bank of the River Thames, the More London development is home to London's City Hall. Three distinct and very different water features bring a defined character to the public spaces here.

The Fountain Workshop has a number of water features at More London. “The Water Benches” are four monolithic blocks of Kilkenny blue limestone at the gateway to the development. Water emerges on the surface of each bench and spills evenly over the edges, disappearing through a slot in the paving. The gentle flow of water over the smooth stone mesmerises passers-by who are drawn to touch and explore the surface.

“The Riverside” is a symphony of over 200 white water jets arranged in linear banks. The jets spring from the limestone paving delighting children and adults alike.

The gateway and riverside areas were connected by “The Rill” – a 260m long fissure, opening up the limestone as if to reveal a natural watercourse beneath the paving. The piece was designed to maximise the effect of the flowing water, creating chevrons of ripples as the rill travels through the site. Sadly, in 2018, this widely appreciated water feature was removed to make way for more redevelopment in the area.

Project Facts

  • Location: Tooley Street, London
  • Client: London Bridge Developments Limited
  • Services: Design, build, management
  • Features: Water benches, water jets, water rill
  • Partners: Townshend Landscape Architects, Foster + Partners, MACE, Skanska

“The Riverside” piece is fed by a series of underground pools, hidden beneath the paving and accessed via a series of concealed covers.

Each of the features is served by an underground plant room that houses the pumps, filtration and water quality systems. The entire system is monitored and controlled by a purpose-built control panel run on bespoke software.