2002 - London, UK
Princess Diana Memorial Fountain
London, UK
CLIENT The Royal Parks / SIZE 15,000 Sq ft. / STATUS Competition Finalist 2002 / DESIGN TEAM Balmori Associates / Atelier Ten / Atelier One / Price & Myers / Sam Price / Long & Kentish / Andrew Grant
To commemorate the life of Diana, Princess of Wales, the Royal Parks Agency invited proposals for a memorial in London’s Hyde Park; Balmori Associates was among the design firms short-listed. The competition called for the design of a permanent memorial with a water element as well as a redesign of the surrounding area to contribute positively to the Hyde Park’s historic landscape and ecology.
Situated alongside the Serpentine and historic Serpentine Bridge, Balmori Associates’ proposal elegantly displays the process of water cleansing through a series of terraced water gardens and moss and lichen walls. Water taken from the Serpentine is naturally filtered through gardens of iris and native grasses. The water then aerates in a small garden pond before being drawn into a still reflecting pool, located in the Serpentine. The linearity and serene quality of the water plane contrasts with the dynamic Serpentine; the water is returned to its source. This ongoing purifying cycle provides a series of contemplative gardens and moments in which to reflect on the life and memory of Princess Diana, while enhancing the landscape and supporting ecology of Hyde Park.