After observing, analysing and critisising fountains, I have designed my own. The concept goes as this; fountains can be anything. They are also a representation of the know-how and situation of each era in history. Fountains show us mechanisms of the past, and how people behaved to it, and with its surroundings. I say that nowadays, we are becoming very functional and utilitarian. 

A fountain should not only be a decorative piece, but something useful. Either by creating an atmosphere around it, creating a thought towards it, or make it create something. Nowadays, we have found so many options to substitute unsustainable materials, and so many ways to not be contaminating or wasting resources, that I think a fountain made today should expose all of that.

Heritage Victoria Website: Carlton Gardens Hochgurtel Fountain, 1907, with low-growing plants and an iron palisade fence.

  Photo by me Hochgurtel Fountain 2023

The design of my fountain is mainly inspired by this one. Constructed at the same time as the Royal Exhibition Building, the fountain itself is made of Portland Cement on a frame of stone and iron and portrays four differently decorated plates that make up four levels to the fountain.

The fountain is mainly a decorative one. It showcases Victoria’s ‘boom days’. It reflects the richness and abilities of the city at the time it was created. It is a ‘look at me and admire me only’ kind of object. It does not have functionality and you cannot interact with it. It is more of an artwork. Also the pool of water makes it more inaccessible.

Carlton Gardens
Melbourne is known as the garden city. The Carlton Gardens are currently divided by three; the southern section, the central third, with the Royal Exhibition Building and the Melbourne Museum and the northern section.

Aboriginal Landmark
After listening to the Yalinguth audio tour, for one of my other classes, I realised how significant the eastern side of the gardens, with the start of Fitzroy, specifically Gertrude Street, was for the Aboriginal people. The start of the street was a point where aboriginals went for help of any kind. Guertrude street was a safe place for Aboriginal People. It was where they fought for their rights and for women. Fitzroy was their home.

The First Parliament House of Australia, was created in the Exhibition Building in 1901. In the audios, a lady explains how their people were excluded from the Constitution, not seen nor aknowledged. Speaking their languages, their traditions and customs were still forbidden. This lasts until 1967, where the Constitution is amended, Australians gain power on Aboriginal People, and they “are included in the census for the first time” (The Australian Human Rights Comission).

City of Melbourne: Masterplan Works
Completed: 2005-2021

I personally have gone a lot to the Carlton Gardens, to read, sun bathe or be with my friends. I live near so it is my usual path when I walk to Fitzroy from my house. After being there many times at night, I have realised how dark the park gets.  

This is where the idea of making a fountain which feeds energy to lighten up the park came from. There is a uneasy feeling when you walk in parks alone, as you enter a fresh, infinite-looking, dark space, and it is scary. Sometimes, the only lights are those from buildings far away, but there where the trees create a wall, there is minimal light.

I went to the park at night time, and I saw that there are lights illuminating the park. The lights are quite dim and very warm. There is a cozy atmosphere. However, in my opnion, a stronger warm light could generate a safer atmosphere.

I went there at night and saw what areas would need light. I mostly found them necessary when there are many trees, or the top of the trees were more leafy, also where it simply was darker. A study of how many street lights would have to either ways be taken.

Water Pumps
The direction of the water would stay the same, it would be a complete replica, only it would be much lighter, sustainable and produce energy in the form of light.

Street Lights
The fountain will generate energy for the street lights around the park. The street lights will also be made of copper, and they will include a version of The UPSIDEDOWN under the light source. The light will be a warm colour and the bulbs will be leds in order to need and consume less energy.

Materiality
The fountain will need to be light, as it will consist of a stick, that holds the replica of the Hochgurtel Fountain, which will be made of copper, being completelly hollow on the inside, as it will hide the pipes and mechanisms.

I found out that Copper is recyclable, and very similar to bronze, as bronze is mostly copper, however lighter that Bronze, and its “exposure for long periods to air, however, results in the formation of a thin green protective coating (patina)” (Encyclopædia Britannica, 2023), giving it a character and an impacting appearance.

Australia is also one of the largest copper-producing country in the world according to Encyclopædia Britannica (2023), specifically in South Australia, surrounding Adelaide (Energy & Mining, 2023). Therefore, there would be monetary savings and less effect in contamination, compared to bringing a material from far away.

Copper is also a ductile metal (Encyclopædia Britannica, 2023), hence it could be molded into the replica of the Hochgurtel Fountain, whereas bronze and corten steel are both stronger materials, as they are mixed with other elements for so.

‘Tanderrum (inverted plinth) 2022’ by Steven Rhall. Stainless-steel & aluminium with Corten paint finish 1745h x 1065w x 1065d mm.

San Ildefonso Gardens

Tanderrum
The Tanderrum by Steven Rhall intends to subvert colonialism and the people in governance, as a pillar is normally the holder of symbols of power. The fact that the artist shrinked the pillar relates to minimising “western modes of marking, memorialisation and assigning value” (Yarra City Arts).

The aesthetic design of the inverted plinth, is full of symbols that represent the aboriginal culture. This is the kind of message I would want to transmit through the inverted Hochgurtel Fountain.

The Farm of San Ildefonso Gardens
I went to this royalty palace a few years ago with my family and I was impacted by the beauty of the fountains in the gardens.

The Palace’s gardens where they sit were made for Philip V, and they follow the french trends of Versailles and Louis XIV.

This is the aesthetic I would like my fountain to have. These fountains are however made of lead, and then immitate bronze and marble. As I think with copper, The UPSIDEDOWN would have the same look.

The creation of a fountain, has made me understand how fountains tell stories, they are not only a decorative piece, they are a piece of history. They are a great tool to help us see the past, and through it, create a better future.

I have also realised how a fountain generates an atmosphere, and shapes the city as a whole, and at the same time, when designing public objects, we have to be very careful on what we want to trasmit hence it will be the face of the area.

I am happy that it will be functional, having a double use, and will also try to undermine the values of the ones who made so much harm to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures. After living in this country for a few months, I have learned a lot about the people of Melbourne, and its history, and it has opened my eyes to the possibility of representing stories like this one, through design.

I am sure more things like this will start to appear in the world, meaning, giving more than one use to public objects, and using sustainable sources of energy and materials.