William Pye - Water Sculpture

When Pye was engaged to work on a water sculpture for the centre of a lake at the St Johnís Innovation Centre in Cambridge, he had to contend with a very large plinth that had been installed to the specification of the architect. This limited the scope of what could be achieved within a small budget, and Pye created the simple, but elegant form of a large tureen on a shallow stem. Water delivered into the tureen at its base pours out through four finely cut notches on the rim. The smooth flow of falling water is broken by deflector cups that redirect it upwards to splash back onto the plinth, creating a spectacle that can be seen from a considerable distance. Pyeís use of stainless steel for the tureen catches the light and reflects the pouring, splashing and rippling water.