Fountain Sculpture in Pool at Lambeth College is a Grade II listed building in the Lambeth local planning authority area, England. First listed on 15 April 1998. Sculpture. 2 related planning applications.
Fountain Sculpture in Pool at Lambeth College
- WRENN ID
- twelfth-bailey-smoke
- Grade
- II
- Local Planning Authority
- Lambeth
- Constituency
- Clapham and Brixton Hill MP: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Lab)
- Country
- England
- Date first listed
- 15 April 1998
- Type
- Sculpture
- Address
- Fountain Sculpture in Pool at Lambeth College, Brixton Hill Sw2
- OS grid reference
- TQ 307 747
- Coordinates
- 51.45651, -0.11935
- Source
- Historic England listing
Description
This is a kinetic fountain sculpture dating from 1960-61 and created by Kenneth Martin, commissioned by the London County Council. Constructed from stainless steel, the sculpture stands five feet above the water level and has a radius of over three feet. It comprises a spiral of seven platforms, diminishing in size as they rise, alongside a parallel spiral form of seven pipes which channel water. The design is rooted in Martin’s experiments with screw propulsion, drawing on mathematical principles and influences from Russian constructivism, the writings of Charles Biederman, and the work of Vantongerloo. The sculpture’s spiral form interacts with light and water, offering a visual contrast to the rectilinear buildings nearby. Martin created only one other public steel fountain, in Gorinchem, Holland. The fountain is recognised as a rare and exceptional example of kinetic sculpture, contributing significantly to the group value of the location.
Local climate
Fountain Sculpture in Pool at Lambeth College sits in one of the driest parts of the UK, with an average of 690 mm of rain a year. This makes it drier than 95% of listed buildings in the UK. Its exposure to wind-driven rain is lower than that of 98% of listed buildings.
It experiences an average of 35 freeze-thaw cycles a year, more than 57% of listed buildings. Of these, 16 follow at least 1 mm of rain in the preceding 48 hours. Average temperatures at this location have risen by 0.3°C per decade since 1991.
Averages for 1991–2020; temperature trend 1991–2025. Figures describe the wider area (a grid cell of roughly 10 km), not the individual site. Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information 2026.
More on this building
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- Full EPC report — heating system, energy costs, size, glazing, construction etc.
- Sale history — 2 transactions since 2000
- Related listed building consents — 2 applications
- Detailed attributes — period, style, materials, features
- Flood risk assessment
- Radon risk assessment
- Weather exposure and heating demand — rain and frost month by month and year by year, wind direction, solar and humidity
Matched applications, energy data and sale records are assembled automatically and may contain errors. Flag incorrect data.
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