The Fountain is a prominent public installation by the interdisciplinary design studio NEON located in the functional space of Neighborhood Square in Brent Cross Town, London. Soaring to a height of 4.3 meters, this vertical water sculpture is more than an aesthetic object; it is intricately crafted and engineered using contemporary architectural language. NEON’s design methodology blends art, architecture, and design through an interdisciplinary focus, emphasizing everyday experience through sensory, spatial, and environmental awareness.
The Fountain: The Brent Cross Town Vision
The installation seeks to blend public engagement, environmental well-being, and localized landmark status, ensuring a design strategy that integrates local community narratives while establishing the artwork as an immediate source of shared identity within this busy urban space. Led by architect Mark Nixon and visual artist Viliina Koivisto, the design of the fountain presents a robust structure, low-maintenance urban infrastructure that is emotionally resonant and interactive.
NEON’s Design Philosophy
The fountain, inspired by traditional European piazza fountains, is a place of play and evokes a sense of calm through the sound and movement of water. Reinterpreting these elements in the contemporary landscape, NEON aims to create a moment of pause, curiosity, and well-being within the emerging neighborhood. Located as a key feature within the area’s wider public art strategy, including Annu Kilpeläinen’s Community Mural and Lakwena’s artwork, the sculpture collectively contributes to an art trail that defines the district’s evolving cultural character.
Conceptualized around the notion of curiosity and pauses, the design offers acoustic comfort while utilizing the natural white noise of tumbling water to mask undesirable ambient urban sounds. This conscious choice of acoustic engineering transforms the conceptual idea of an urban space into a contemporary pause point where visitors can experience the beauty of being present.
Through the strategic interplay of color, water movement, and sound, the fountain serves to both anchor the sculpture contextually, the green echoing the surrounding landscape, and emphasize its aquatic character. The gently shuffled layers create shifting cascades, generating varied sound patterns. This focus on auditory experience provides designated calm moments. The reflections on the water and the ripple effects create a dramatic and illuminating presence against a dark urban backdrop.
Form and Materiality
The dynamic aesthetic of the fountain is driven by its unique, radical symmetry and gently offsetting layers, ensuring the sculpture’s appearance and the resulting cascades are distinct when viewed from any angle. The subtle asymmetry enriches the visual movement and acoustic properties of the falling water.
The selection of materials is guided by performance criteria, cost, and longevity, with HI-MACS chosen for its durability for stacked plates, color stability, and precise execution of the cascade design. The team uses HI-MACS in the specified palette, bright green for the vertical elements and turquoise for the water tables, ensuring it retains its vibrancy and precision over many years.
Neighbourhood Interactive Community place
The official opening of Neighbourhood Square was marked by a celebration involving residents, performances, and the presence of civic leaders. It also included a portrait photography exhibition by Cesare De Giglio and the documented collection of residents’ personal aspirations. By placing the fountain in the existing community space, the designers ensured a sense of shared ownership that prevents one from feeling culturally disconnected and, instead, leverages the art to celebrate the vibrant character and spirit of the community.
The NEON’s Fountain Project Details
Client: Brent Cross Town, a partnership between Related Argent and Barnet Council
Artists/Designers: NEON (Mark Nixon & Viliina Koivisto)
Structural Engineers: Structure Workshop
Fabrication: The White Wall Company
Specialist consultants: Fountains Direct
Photo Credits: © John Sturrock, Cesare De Giglio
