Tired of London, Tired of Life - A website about things to do in London

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24 April 2010

Dangle your feet in the Princess Diana Memorial Fountain

Your author usually reacts strongly against anything with Princess Diana branding, which is probably why last Sunday was the first time he'd been to the Princess Diana Memorial Fountain.


Designed by Kathryn Gustafson, the American landscape artist, and opened in 2004 at a cost £3.6 million, it is made up of 545 individual pieces of Cornish granite cut by S. McConnell & Sons in Kilkeel, Northern Ireland, and takes the form of babbling brooks flowing in a oval across steps, rills and curves, and collecting in a tranquil pool at the bottom beside the Serpentine.

The fat security guard who is constantly on hand to disrupt the peace by telling everyone and anyone that you're only allowed to put your feet in, and it is forbidden to walk in the fountain, is a particular downer and the whole thing begs the question why we can't just build nice things anyway and we have to wait for a Princess to die, but it is pleasant nonetheless.

For more, see http://www.royalparks.org.uk/parks/hyde_park/diana_memorial.cfm

2 comments:

  1. I didn't realise it was still functioning after all the bad publicity about visitor behaviour which made me both sad and mad. But contrast with the fountain in the courtyard of the V&A which I visited last weekend. Simple, elegant and enjoyed by well-behaved paddling children, watched over by parents/carers and indulgent cafe goers happily enjoying the spring sunshine. All in the name of art and industry, rather than a pampered and privileged rich girl and her misguided 'followers'.

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  2. It is definitely working and is nice. The V&A fountain sounds good too.

    Will they let me paddle even though I am no longer a child?

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