William Pye Water Scupture

Dumfries House Pergola

Pergola was commissioned for the front of this recently restored 18th century house in Scotland. The sculpture is an extension of my Water Trellis pieces where I have used hydrostatic pressure to control jets. The excess of water delivered to the top flows down the outer surfaces of the four legs of the structure into bronze bowls and through spouts falls into the higher pool. The water flows down to the lower level through four spouts. At the very top is a bronze thistle flower - Scotland's symbol - which is also the centrepiece of my Thistle Fountain in the Queen Elizabeth Garden.

  • Dumfries House Pergola
  • Dumfries House Pergola

Concept development

  • Front of Dumfries House, site for a new pool and fountain
  • The first design for the front of house pool
  • The final design
  • The final design
  • Plan view of the design

Construction

  • The four bowls at Benson-Sedgwick Engineering
  • The fountain partly assembled in the workshop
  • Water testing of the jets
  • Assembling the finished bronze elements on site
  • The assembly in progress
  • Work in progress from above
  • Overflow detail

Completion and launch

  • General view of the works
  • Close up view of the jets
  • The last element goes on the top
  • Representation of a thistle at the top