Design
The square in front of the Château of Nantes was designed as a large mirror reflecting the old fortress in the centre of the city on the one hand, and the wooded vegetation accompanying the gardens on the other.
With a rhomboidal surface, the water mirror is integrated into the Place Elisa-Mercoeur, playing with the surface of the adjoining flowerbeds.
The mirror reinforces the importance of the château and enhances its beauty as it can be observed from different perspectives.
Execution
Civil works
The civil work is a delicate issue for the execution of fountains with a water mirror, as the surface and the perimeter overflow must be perfectly level to achieve a homogeneous layer, both in the mirror and in the overflow.
A different paving was chosen inside the mirror to the rest of the square to visually mark the space occupied by the fountain, using triangular paving in two colours.
Around the perimeter, a groove was designed through which the water mirror pours the water back into the tank to be chemically treated so that the water is kept in optimum conditions.
Installation
The installation of the systems for this fountain was carried out in conjunction with the civil works phase, as the mirror filling system was installed under the paving of the square.
Thirty-two jets were placed along the entire length of the square to fill the water mirror in a balanced and fast way, as the mirror is formed in less than five minutes.
In addition, the fountain is equipped with vaporisers to refresh the atmosphere during the summer season.
Programming
The last stage in the installation of the mirror consisted of programming all the systems for an autonomous operation.
In this phase, among others, the following were programmed: the operating hours of the mirror, the operating hours of the spraying system, the water treatment system, the standard water level and the filling and emptying control sequences with their different times.
Sustainability
The installation operates in a closed circuit, requiring no more water input than necessary due to evaporation losses.
An efficient water treatment system installed in the technical room ensures that the water is kept in good condition, which on the one hand avoids the need to empty the tank frequently for cleaning and on the other hand guarantees water in a perfect state of health, especially as it is used in the pumps and is played with by people and children.
As for the technical equipment of pumps, valves and other elements that the fountain has, the most suitable and efficient ones that exist on the market were selected, with flows and pressures adjusted to the real needs of the installation, which allows a considerable reduction of the electrical consumption.
Curiosities
There are many people who visit and enjoy the water mirror, whether it is simply to see it or to get wet in its waters.
It is common to see bicycles passing over the mirror, as well as other urban mobility vehicles.
