ARCHITECTURAL STUDY 03 // FATA MORGANA
Luxury Wellness Sanctuary • Reflection Basin • Horizon Focal Point
THE ARCHITECTURAL BRIEF
Issued by: Lead Landscape & Spatial Architecture Studio (5-Star Desert Resort / Coastal Spa Sanctuary)
A serene, contemplative water court and wellness arrival pavilion defined by monumental, organically stratified limestone walls meeting a shallow, dark bottomed infinity reflection basin.
While the surrounding carved stone architecture and expansive sheet of water create a tranquil, elemental envelope, the primary sightline across the reflection pool lacks a central visual anchor. We require a sculptural focal point that appears to hover just above the waterline, bridging the raw geological movement of the stone backdrop with disciplined geometric precision.
The artwork must engage dynamically with shifting natural sunlight and upward caustic water reflections, drawing the eye through its form like a mirage on the horizon. Because the piece sits directly within an active water feature subject to high ambient humidity, solar exposure, and treated water chemistry, the bronze patination and submerged stone plinth assembly must be engineered for absolute marine-grade resilience and minimal mineral leaching.
A unique focal sculpture with integrated submerged plinth specification, hydrostatic/structural anchoring calculations and 3D mesh assets for client solar and caustic lighting sign-off.
STUDIO RESPONSE & DESIGN RATIONALE
Spatial & Formal Counterbalance
To anchor the open expanse of the reflection basin against the sweeping horizontal strata of the stone wall behind, Fata Morgana presents a crisp, cylindrical outer ring, a pure Euclidean oculus that frames the stone backdrop while floating effortlessly on a low profile travertine block. Within this disciplined outer rim, the bronze opens into an intricate, deeply eroded cavern where vertical basalt like columns give way to fluid, wind-scoured overhangs, creating an optical tension between machined permanence and geological erosion.
Surface & Patina Engineering
Cast in silicon bronze (C65500) via our autographic lost-wax process, the exterior cylindrical shell and bevelled front rim are hand-chased and prepared with a directional brushed metal finish prior to patination. This creates a warm, satin gold-bronze finish with subtle, organic fissure detailing that harmonises with the pale desert stone. Inside the aperture, the complex stratified relief is treated with variegated ferric nitrate to produce a tonal transition from light golden-brown into darkened deep undercuts, while the cascading ridges are hand-burnished to catch and amplify the shimmering caustic light reflected off the water below
Hydrological Plinth & Marine-Grade Sealing
Elevated just above the water table on a bespoke, honed unfilled travertine plinth with crisp chamfered edges, the sculpture creates a subtle shadow gap that makes the circular mass appear buoyant. Both the bronze and its delicate warm oxide patination are encapsulated in an architectural-grade 2K matte polyurethane clear coat (or Permalac), ensuring complete resistance to UV degradation, high salinity and treated pool water aerosols without altering the warm, natural lustre of the metal.
IN-HOUSE SPATIAL & LIGHTING SIMULATION
Untextured 3D architectural clay model produced in-house to test sightlines, grazing light angles and plinth proportions prior to manufacture. CAD/BIM proxy meshes available for client integration.
TECHNICAL INFORMATION // ARCHITECTURAL STUDY 03 // FATA MORGANA
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Sculpture Dimensions — H 1500mm × W 1500mm × D 450mm
Plinth Dimensions — H 350mm × W 1350mm × D 750mm (proportioned to sit partially submerged with 200mm–250mm exposed freeboard above the static waterline)
Overall Installed Height — H 1850mm (Pool basin structural slab to top edge of bronze)
Scale Flexibility — Digital pattern architecture allows bespoke scaling across any dimension to suit specific reflection pool depths, courtyard sightlines, and architectural elevations.
Estimated Weight — 115 kg (Cast Silicon Bronze Sculpture) / 240 kg (Engineered Travertine & 316L Stainless Core Plinth)
Combined Dead Load — 355 kg
Basin Interface & Protection — Fitted with marine-grade, non-compressible EPDM/neoprene isolation load pads beneath the submerged stainless steel sub-frame, protecting waterproof pool membranes and stone basin linings while allowing levelled installation and unrestricted water circulation beneath the plinth.
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Primary Alloy — High-Grade Silicon Bronze (C65500, >4% Si), offering exceptional structural tensile strength, crisp topographical fidelity across deep internal undercuts and superior corrosion stability in humid, coastal or water-feature environments. (Alternative specification available in Phosphor Bronze, Nickel Bronze or 316L Marine-Grade Stainless Steel).
Casting Method — Direct Autographic Lost-Wax Investment Casting (5mm–7mm nominal wall thickness). The 3D-printed master pattern and ceramic shell are completely destroyed during the burnout and pouring cycle, guaranteeing a certifiable Pièce Unique (1/1) original.
Structural Welding & Chasing — Multi-part cast sections are joined via precision TIG welding using parent-metal Silicon Bronze filler rods, followed by meticulous hand-chasing across both the smooth outer cylinder and the intricate internal geological strata to ensure zero visible seam lines.
Authentication — Hand-inscribed on the lower exterior return edge with studio signature, PU (Pièce Unique), 1/1, and permanent studio archive reference number.
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Exterior Shell Finish — Hand-chased directional satin bronze lightly toned with dilute ferric nitrate and warm amber oxides, preserving a luminous, sun-warmed metallic sheen that complements pale travertine and limestone architecture.
Internal Canyon Patina — Multi-layered ferric nitrate and dilute Liver of Sulphur application, selectively relieved and hand-burnished across the vertical columnar fluting and upper cavernous strata to maximise contrast and catch upward bouncing water reflections.
Hydrological-Grade Sealant — Sealed with an architectural two-part (2K) matte polyurethane clear coat or UV-stabilised Permalac lacquer. This finish permanently locks in the warm golden-brown oxide nuances while providing a non-porous barrier completely impervious to chlorinated/ozonated water splash, coastal salinity, UV degradation, and public touch.
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Plinth Construction — 30mm mitred, honed unfilled Roman/Desert Travertine slabs mechanically fixed and structurally bonded over a fully welded 316L marine-grade stainless steel internal box-section frame. The stone is treated with a breathable, non-film-forming fluoropolymer penetrating sealer to prevent water line efflorescence, algae ingress, or mineral staining.
Concealed Securement — The bronze sculpture secures internally to the plinth's 316L stainless steel sub-frame via dual concealed heavy-duty stainless steel spigots and a central 30mm (M30) marine-grade 316L threaded tie-rod locked with high-strength threadlocker, positively fixing the sculpture's rotation and creating a clean, floating shadow gap between the curved lower bronze belly and the flat travertine deck.
Basin Floor Interface — The internal 316L stainless steel plinth frame includes pre-drilled baseplates for either non-penetrating ballast/freestanding placement over waterproof pool liners (using high-density EPDM isolation pads) or mechanical chemical-anchor bolting into structural concrete pool slabs with waterproof mastic collars. Full FEA (Finite Element Analysis) structural, wind-load, and floor-loading data supplied upon commission sign-off.
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Bespoke Export Crating — Constructed using heat-treated, ISPM-15 certified structural timber for unrestricted international air and sea freight.
Internal Suspension & Protection — The sculpture and stone plinth travel in custom-contoured, high-density closed-cell Ethafoam cradles with zero-abrasion Tyvek contact wraps, moisture-barrier lining, and protective blankets or mechanically bolted and secured directly through the structural base of the crate so the patinated bronze and honed stone edges remain completely untouched during transit.
Documentation & Installation Pack — Every crate dispatches with a comprehensive Unpacking, Physical Handling & Wet-Basin Installation Manual, lifting-strap diagram, Certificate of Authenticity, and Surface Maintenance Schedule.
Indicative Production Lead Time — 12 to 16 Weeks from formal CAD sign-off and patina/stone sample coupon approval to ex-works dispatch (North Norfolk, UK studio and foundry).
