Podium water feature, Artistic fountain
W Budapest Hotel, Budapest

W Budapest Hotel stands in the center of Budapest, in front of the Hungarian State Opera House and along Andrássy Avenue, one of the most sumptuous streets in the city. In the ancient Drechsler Palace, a UNESCO heritage site rises this luxurious 5-star hotel, among the latest opened by the Marriott Bonvoy hotel chain.

Forme d'Acqua took care of the design and construction of the uniquely charming fountain, called Podium Water Feature. The fountain is located in the internal courtyard, which is an intimate and bright space enclosed by an elegant glass cover. It is a circular infinity fountain with a diameter of 1850mm and a height of 600mm, made entirely to measure in AISI 316L stainless steel and powder coated in gold, and illuminated on the perimeter by a flexible 2700°K LED bar coordinated with the lighting of the surrounding space. The overflow occurs from the central pool, which is integrated and coplanar with the edge. The fountain is part of the mirror game throughout the hotel, designed to generate optical illusions on ceilings, walls, and floors, allowing the legacy of Harry Houdini to live on through the aesthetics of the W Budapest.

The peculiarity of this fountain is the concept, which sees the fountain as transformable into a real podium: if necessary, the fountain can be covered by a circular slab covered with carpet, which can be climbed onto thanks to two lateral ladders, making it perfect for events, speeches, and vernissages.

In the court’s composition, the French Renaissance architectural aesthetics were interpreted with a palette of green, coral, and intense blue colors, with colored glass elements and light installations inspired by jewels, such as the golden fountain. The fountain which stands in the center of the court welcomes guests who cross the entrance door with a light gurgling sound of the water slowly overflowing along the internal circumference, making the context relaxed and natural.

To simplify the hydraulic and electrical works, we opted for a technical space located in the fountain’s basement, where the silent and low energy consumption pump for water recirculation is housed, which allows the same water to always be reused but also guarantees perfect movement control and the total absence of splashes and noise. The fountain is equipped with an automatic loading system for replenishing evaporated water. A panel for the automatic balancing of pH and Redox values offers constant control of the water’s cleanliness to preserve the life and functionality of the pumps. The hydraulic system is managed by the Easy Control Oase system to interact with the fountain simply and smartly.

The building was restored, in 2023 by interior designers Bowler James Brindley of London and the Hungarians Bánáti + Hartvig, who took inspiration from the building's multiple identities: it was built between 1883 and 1886 to house the company's pension institution Hungarian Railway, but the current name recalls the café managed by Drechsler Béla, which was present on the ground floor of the building at the time. Subsequently, it became the residence of Hungarian aristocrats and for years the Hungarian National Ballet Academy was located on the lower floors, only to be abandoned until the recent restoration, which brought it back to its former glory.

The fountain was commissioned by Mobil Project Spa, the Italian company that boasts more than thirty years of experience in the exclusive furnishing contract sector.