Trumpet and Watering Holes both selected as winning designs for new public water fountains in London’s eight royal parks

A new generation of public drinking water fountains, planned to be as beautiful as pieces of sculpture, is to be launched by the Royal Parks Foundation.

The Guardian can reveal the joint winners of an international design competition launched by the foundation, and sponsored by the Tiffany & Co Foundation, the charitable arm of the famous jewellers.

Watering Holes, a pierced Cornish granite standing stone created by Rome-born Robin Monotti and Mark Titman, will appear as prototype[s] next year.

The winners will be sited throughout London’s eight royal parks: St James’s, Regent’s, Hyde, Green, Kensington Gardens, Greenwich, Richmond, and Bushy.

Sara Lom, chief executive of the Royal Parks Foundation, expects other parks across the country to follow suit. “When we went looking for the perfect design to replace some of our ageing fountains which are now beyond repair, we found there was just nothing suitable available. I am overwhelmed at way designers have risen to the challenge.”

Monotti and Titman were first inspired by an ancient Greek sundial, and sketched out their ideas in a sunny hour sitting in a park. Their final design for a slab of granite, pierced with holes to suit adults, children and dogs, also recalls the prehistoric standing stones, often associated with the phases of the moon and sun.

Maev Kennedy, 8/11/10

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http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2010/nov/08/royal-parks-plumbs-for-joint-fountain-winners