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The Bucket Fountain

The Bucket Fountain is an iconic kinetic sculpture in Wellington, the capital of New Zealand. It is located in Cuba Mall, part of Cuba Street. Designed by Burren and Keen and erected in 1969, it consists of a series of buckets that fill with water until they tip and spill their contents into the buckets and pool below. Much of the water does not reach the lower buckets, instead splashing out onto pedestrians and spectators. On windy days, the water from the buckets and hose can be carried several meters from the fountain. People often add dishwashing liquid to the water, creating bubbles that spread through the mall, especially on Friday and Saturday nights.

The Bucket Fountain with red and yellow buckets tipping water into a shallow pool in Wellington.
The Bucket Fountain in Wellington, with red and yellow buckets spilling water from a tall metal structure.
November 2020 © · CC BY-SA 4.0
The Bucket Fountain sculpture with colorful buckets in a light blue basin on Cuba Mall, with buildings and shop fronts behind it.
The Bucket Fountain in Wellington’s Cuba Mall, with its bright buckets and urban streetscape in the background.
July 2022 © · CC BY-SA 4.0
The Bucket Fountain sculpture with colorful tipping buckets spraying water against a blue sky.
The Bucket Fountain in Wellington features colorful buckets cascading water above Cuba Mall.
April 2007 © Tony Wills · CC BY 2.5
The Bucket Fountain sculpture in a light blue basin, decorated with colorful flower-filled buckets and a red sphere on top.
The Bucket Fountain in Wellington decorated with flowers.
© · CC BY-SA 4.0
The Bucket Fountain sculpture with a rough off-white textured surface, bucket-like forms, and hanging drips, with part of a similarly covered car visible beside it.
The Bucket Fountain’s textured forms are shown beside a partially visible car and storefronts with a purple awning.
February 2007 © · Public domain

Identification

TitleThe Bucket Fountain
TypeKinetic fountain sculpture
Original-language nameLa Fuente The Bucket

Historical context

Initial nameWater Mobile
PurposeDesigned for the pedestrianisation of Cuba Street
Design instructionCreate something with a water motif that could be illuminated at night for visual enjoyment
Year designed1969
Date erected1969
Opening date1969

Creator

DesignerGraham Allardice of Burren and Keen
Associated firmBurren and Keen

Discovery and provenance

SimilarityVery similar to a fountain designed by Richard Huws that was erected in Liverpool in 1967
Cost$2000

Physical characteristics

Wind effectOn windy days, water can be carried several metres from the fountain
Common local conditionWindy days are common in Wellington
Water behaviorMuch of the water does not reach the lower buckets and instead splashes onto pedestrians and onlookers
StructureA series of buckets that fill with water until they tip and spill into the buckets below and the pool below
Current functioningDoes not work as intended; water sometimes spreads outside the fountain instead of falling into the lower buckets

Materials

MaterialsSteel, aluminium, and fibreglass

Appearance

Original bucket colorAll yellow
Bucket color changeThe colour of the buckets was modified at some stage

Location and ownership

LocationCuba Mall, Cuba Street, Wellington, New Zealand

History and restoration

February 2016 recoveryAfter a plea by Wellington City Council, the missing bucket was left in the pool at the base of the fountain
Replacement bucket cost$2000
Replacement bucketBy the time the bucket was found, the Council was creating a replacement bucket
December 2021 condition of recovered bucketPainted gold and drawn with a dragon
December 2021 recoveryThe stolen bucket was retrieved after a member of the public spotted a picture of it on social media and reported it to Wellington City Council
October 2021 theftOne of the larger buckets was reported stolen from the fountain
2016 mayor commentWellington Mayor Celia Wade-Brown said she was "unequivocally blissful" that they brought it back unscathed and apparently enhanced
17 March 2016 reinstallationThe bucket was reinstalled on the fountain
February 2016 condition of returned bucketPainted with an intricate and psychedelic pattern
Early receptionControversial after its opening
February 2016 theftOne of the larger yellow buckets near the bottom of the fountain was stolen in the night
January 2014 protest purposeTo illustrate the threat that deep sea drilling poses to Wellington coasts, local businesses, the environment, and the people
January 2014 eventCoated in a simulated oil spill with the water turned black
March 2006 eventCoated in a mud-like substance by New Zealand artist John Radford
2003 upgradeWellington City Council cleaned, sandblasted, and repainted the buckets, and made them more likely to splash
1981 repairFixed and repainted by the manager of Cuba Mall at the time
Condition in 1981Described as being in a "sorry state of repair"
VandalismA target for vandalism
Critic descriptionsDescribed by critics as an "engineering joke" and a "monstrosity"

Iconography and meaning

Public interactionPeople sometimes add dishwashing detergent to the water, causing bubbles to spread throughout the mall
Common observation timesThis is commonly seen on Friday and Saturday nights

Significance

DescriptionAn iconic sculpture of Wellington, New Zealand