Distances, Public fountain in Lhotka, Czech Republic
Distances is a metal and steel fountain in Lhotka designed to serve both as a water feature and a sculpture in the public space. The installation creates a visual point of interest where functionality meets artistic expression.
The metal sculpture Distances was created by sculptor Jiří Novák in 1962 in the Brussels style, and the fountain was fitted with it in 1963 as part of the urban plan for the Novodvorská housing estate, designed by architects Aleš Bořkovec and Vladimír Ježek. Maintenance was neglected from 1990, and around 2008 Prague 4 planned to remove the sculpture to a depository. Protests by experts and local residents led to its restoration by architect Jan Nedvěd, and the fountain was renewed in 2011. In 2025 the basin lining, piping and technology were replaced for 2.2 million crowns.
Czech sculptor Jiří Novák designed this fountain as both a water feature and an art piece, reflecting the integration of functionality with artistic expression.
This fountain is accessible year-round and sits in the public area of the Lhotka district. Visitors can enjoy it freely without special arrangements or advance planning.
The ten-metre steel stelae carry black-painted aluminium sails that turn in the wind, making this one of the first kinetic sculptures placed in public space in Czechoslovakia. The grey paint on the stelae is not original; they were graphite black.
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