Design
The design of the fountain was in keeping with the urban style of the street’s redevelopment. In line with the aesthetics of oval and sinuous shapes, the fountain was designed with a four-metre long oval shape.
It consists of three non-concentric oval basins at different heights, reminiscent of the orbits of the planets of the solar system; in the centre is a foaming fountain which, lit up at night, creates an allegory of the sun and feeds the cascading waterfalls. The basins pour water into the next glass in a very subtle way due to their thin rims, resulting in a transparent and smooth fall of the water.
Execution
The installation of the stone and installations was carried out intermittently over a period of one month through the following three actions:
- Installation of hydraulic components
All the necessary underground pipes were installed for the supply, connection, drainage, overflow and corrugated pipes for the cable ducts of the fountain.
These installations were left prepared under the ground, which was backfilled and prepared for the installation and laying of the stone around them.
- Laying of the stone:
To assemble the entire fountain, the ground was first levelled so that the pieces could fit together perfectly. The lower basin took the longest time to fit due to the need to fit and seal all 24 pieces.
The inner surface of the pieces was then sealed to prevent possible leaks or seepage and the base of the next basin was placed.
The stand of the third basin was placed on top of this basin and the last basin on top of that one. The joints between the different parts were then fixed, as they are all in constant contact with the water.
- Electrical installation:
Once the stone had been laid, all the spotlights for each of the basins, the recirculation pump, the level probe and the electrical control and management panel for the entire installation were installed.
The installation was tested and programmed to work according to the requirements of the city council.
Sustainability
At OTB, we take European sustainability criteria into account in all our projects. Marquina marble is extracted from quarries near Bilbao, which reduces the environmental impact of transport. Moreover, since it is a noble material, it guarantees unlimited durability.
OTB designed the installation to be as energy efficient as possible. To do this, we used low-power LED spotlights and adjusted the installation to operate at the lowest possible power without performance being impaired.
All our projects operate with water in a closed circuit, which reduces water consumption, limiting it to sporadic water supply when necessary.
