The Fountain: A Contemporary Civic Landmark in Motion

Installed at the heart of Neighbourhood Square in Brent Cross Town, London, The Fountain marks NEON’s latest exploration into the role of public art within contemporary urban life. Rising 4.3 metres, the sculptural water feature revisits the long-standing tradition of European civic fountains as places of gathering, pause, and shared experience. Rather than replicating historic forms, the project translates this lineage into a contemporary spatial language, offering a moment of calm and curiosity within one of Europe’s most ambitious regeneration developments.

Set within a rapidly evolving neighbourhood, the fountain functions as both landmark and mediator. Its presence anchors the square while softening the surrounding urban fabric through sound, movement, and water. In doing so, it reasserts the relevance of fountains not as ornamental relics, but as active social infrastructures capable of shaping everyday urban rhythms.

MATERIAL PRECISION AND SCULPTURAL PERFORMANCE

The design of The Fountain is defined by a careful balance between familiarity and subtle disruption. A series of stacked horizontal plates are gently offset, introducing a controlled asymmetry that allows the sculpture to read differently from every angle. This spatial shift produces varied cascades, enriching both the visual rhythm and the acoustic texture of the falling water as it moves through the structure.

Material choice plays a central role in the project’s longevity and clarity of form. HI-MACS was selected for its durability, colour stability, and capacity for precise fabrication, enabling the crisp geometries required by the design while ensuring resistance to weather and long-term wear. The palette reinforces the sculpture’s relationship with its context, with green vertical elements echoing the surrounding landscape and turquoise water tables recalling the chromatic associations of water itself. The result is a restrained yet expressive object that feels both intentional and deeply embedded within its setting.

BETWEEN PLAY, CONTEMPLATION, AND COMMUNITY

Beyond its formal qualities, The Fountain is conceived as an experiential catalyst within the public realm. The steady movement and sound of water create a calming backdrop for daily life, inviting people to sit, pause, and linger. At the same time, the shallow pool and cascading edges encourage spontaneous interaction, particularly among children, introducing play and informality into the square.

This duality between contemplation and play is integral to the project’s social ambition. The fountain adapts to different modes of engagement, allowing individuals to encounter it quietly or energetically depending on mood and moment. This openness was further extended through a community initiative launched at the project’s unveiling, where local residents and visitors were invited to share personal wishes for the future. Presented through a portrait series and exhibition, these contributions embedded local voices directly into the artwork, transforming the fountain into a collective symbol of aspiration and belonging.

In its synthesis of material precision, sensory experience, and civic generosity, The Fountain demonstrates how contemporary public art can operate not as an isolated object, but as a living component of urban life.

Project Credit

Artists / Designers: NEON (Mark Nixon & Viliina Koivisto) / @neon.uk
Location: Berwick-upon-Tweed, United Kingdom
Year: 2025
Photography: John Sturrock / Cesare De Giglio