Mural located in former Lee Valley Water Company Offices and free-standing sculpture on west side of entrance drive

MATERIALS: Mesh reinforced in-situ concrete.

PLAN: The office building has a large square plan with an open internal courtyard. The mural is located in the west range against the north wall of the former entrance hall. The free-standing sculpture is located on the west side of the entrance drive.

EXTERIOR: The concrete mural dominates the former entrance hall. It is structural, with three concrete columns keyed in to the rear, supporting the ceiling (although the left column does not extend to the ceiling). The mural is approximately 5m high, 5.5m wide and 0.5m deep. It gives the overall impression of a series of vertical panels with a strong sense of water streaming downwards, interspersed with abstract organic, almost fossilised forms. It has a dynamic, tactile, richly textural form in which sunburst, floral motifs burst out of the surface; pitted, dimpled areas appear as raindrops on water; and an Aztec-inspired totemic section filled with snake-like forms towers upwards. One of the key design elements is the triangular section on the right hand side representing a downward rush of water. Originally, a cascade of water had flowed over this feature, supplied by pipes concealed in the oval motif above the triangle. The water would have flowed into the wide, shallow channel at the base of the feature which is cut into the marble floor and extends the length of the entrance hall. The channel has since been boarded over.

Neither the channel nor the office building is included in the listing.

SCULPTURE: The small, free-standing sculpture situated on the west side of the entrance drive is approximately 1.5m high, 0.5m wide and 0.25m deep. It is similar in form and texture to the large mural, and is characterised by abstract sunburst and fossilised forms.