michael anastassiades installs 'touchless' drinking fountain in london

curated by jane withers studio, the theme of ‘nature/nurture’ inspires the critic of design on our environment at the brompton design district during LDF 2019. as part of its aim to create a lasting impact as well as legacy, the michael anastassiades-designed fleet fountain has been installed as a permanent feature outside south kensignton tube station, seeking to reduce londoners’ dependence on single-use plastic bottles. the design – first prototyped for the victoria & albert museum at london design festival 2018 – hopes to rejuvenate the restoration of the city’s public drinking water infrastructure.

all images © studio stagg

sculpted from bronze, michael anastassiades created the fleet fountain as a monolithic structure that references the form of great british street furniture, such as the red letterbox and phone box. as users approach it, a discrete sensor activates the water, arcing a jet out and then into its shallow basin. it has been designed for refilling bottles as well as drinking, and removes all touch points for the public. this ensures functionality, durability and most importantly cleanliness.

the fleet fountain is the first permanent one set up by the london fountain co. its design aims to diversify into a wall-mounted version and an edition for parks in the future. each one would be made from a range of different materials, including stone, cast-iron and the original bronze.

project info:

name: fleet

designer: michael anastassiades

company: london fountain co

location: south kensington tube station, london