It’s simple – we gather around water. To drink, to bathe, to swim, water has been integral to every society, at every point in our relatively short history here on earth. We connect, drink, and extend ourselves over water, a lifegiving force whose polarity explains much of human behavior. Fostering this sense of community is vital to our health and happiness as well – yet with fewer and fewer third spaces to choose from, how exactly are we supposed to curate community with work, life, and the million other things that demand our attention? Enter The Fountain by Neon, a space to meet, relax, and play in a space that everyone can enjoy.
Centered directly on the Neighborhood Square at Brent Cross Town in London, the fountain rises out of the earth, a strikingly green centerpiece to contrast nicely with the surrounding red brick buildings. Alike to weightless layers of an impossible cake, the tiers of the fountain are offset, allowing the flowing water to cascade down to the pavement below. The fins that line the layers offer not only visual interest, but an interestingly diffusive effect to the water, slowing its inevitable path downward.
The color here is brilliant, a bright neon green gracing the layers. In shadows and highlights, a lime green emerges, pastels, and even a cool emerald emerge, dancing and changing with the water’s path and time of day. This grounds us in the moment: each second a unique yet ephemeral page in the book of time, beholden to the natural forces that rule us all. We are forced to pay attention to the path of time, when so much of our lives are lost in the mire of the past, or the tension of the future. The Fountain’s lime-drenched allure inspires us to inspect, explore, and commune.
Public places are meant to be accessible and enjoyable, in that order. Standing 4.3 meters high, the Fountain serves as a beacon, helping us imagine new ways to design more inclusive spaces. Both ready to welcome any type of visitor, and create a memorable experience, The Fountain has succeeded in creating a respectful, interactive centerpiece, bringing families and neighbors together.
Mark Nixon & Viliina Koivisto of Neon
To learn more about the Fountain by Neon, visit neon.uk.
Photography by Cesare De Giglio and John Sturrock.
