Design agency NEON is proud to announce the unveiling of ‘The Fountain,’ a new 4.3-metre-high sculptural water feature, now installed at the heart of Neighbourhood Square in Brent Cross Town, London. The piece reimagines the tradition of European civic fountains, offering a place of calm, curiosity, and playful interaction within this burgeoning neighbourhood.

Concept and inspiration: A contemporary pause point

The work draws on the enduring tradition of fountains found throughout European city squares—civic structures that act simultaneously as landmarks, spaces for play, and sources of calm through the sound and movement of water. NEON reinterprets these qualities in a contemporary language, aiming to create a moment of pause, curiosity, and well-being within this emerging quarter.

Design and materiality: Precision and longevity

NEON set out to design a fountain that felt familiar yet visually distinct. The team introduced a gentle asymmetry by subtly offsetting the stacked plates in plan. This allows the sculpture to appear different from every viewpoint and creates varied cascades, enriching both the acoustic qualities and the visual movement of the falling water.

Material selection was driven by performance and longevity. HI-MACS was chosen for its durability, colour stability, and ability to form the exact geometries required for the stacked plates and fins. Its long lifespan and weather resistance minimise future maintenance. The chosen palette—green for the vertical elements, echoing the surrounding landscape, and turquoise for the water tables, referencing the colours often associated with water—seamlessly grounds the sculpture in its setting.

Experience and public realm: Between contemplation and play

‘The Fountain’ encourages curiosity and a wide range of informal interactions. For residents and visitors, the steady sound and movement offer a gentle backdrop to daily life, making the square feel more comfortable for sitting, chatting, or simply passing through. Crucially, children often engage directly with the cascades and the shallow pool at the base, bringing a sense of play and energy to the space.

“We were interested in creating a piece that could shift between being contemplative and playful, depending on how people choose to engage with it,” says Mark Nixon, NEON. “The Fountain offers calm moments through its sound and movement, but it also invites light-hearted interaction, especially from children. That duality felt important for a public space like this.”

Community engagement: A wish for the future

The project’s launch was marked by a powerful community engagement initiative. Working with photographer Cesare De Giglio, NEON, Related Argent, and Barnet Council invited local residents, workers, and visitors to participate in a portrait series. Participants were asked to share a personal wish for the future—a modern echo of the tradition of making a wish at a fountain—which was then displayed in an exhibition. This initiative fostered a strong sense of local ownership, seamlessly embedding the community’s stories within the public artwork.