William Pye Water Scupture

Italian Garden, Altar and Font

The site is in the garden of a house designed by Inigo Jones where there was once a church designed by Sir Thomas Vanburgh. All that now remains of the church are the red brick footings. These now frame a newly created Italian garden.

I was commissioned to create two water sculptures, representing at one end an altar and at the other a font. These are linked by two shallow rills that flow down the 'nave' from altar to font.

It has been a wonderful opportunity to be able to design and coordinate the bronze and stone hardscape with water movement throughout the scheme.

See the video here

For more information or to commission a similar piece, please send a request through the contact page on this website.

 

  • The font on the left and Altar in the background
  • Looking over the Font to the garden
  • The Altar, front view
  • One of the rills flowing from Altar to Font
  • The Altar

Concept development

  • The remains of the old church
  • Sketch for the altar
  • Early sketch for the font
  • Plan view of the Altar, Font and rills
  • Design of the water circulation system

Construction

  • Mockup of the corner for testing
  • Fabrication of the bronze elements
  • The central weir in the Font
  • The bronze font before patination
  • Preparing to conduct water testing
  • Water testing of the Altar

Completion and launch

  • Delivery of the Font
  • The Font in position
  • The Altar is craned into place
  • Inauguration of the completed garden