Stainless Steel Fountain for a Resort Infinity Pool

A coastal resort needed a poolside centrepiece that would survive salt air, chlorinated water and constant sun without constant upkeep. Stainless steel was the clear choice over bronze for the marine-adjacent environment.

We fabricated a three-tier stainless steel fountain in 304 with a high mirror finish. Each tier is a machined steel bowl with a level overflow rim, so water sheets evenly from tier to tier. The cascade catches warm light through the afternoon and becomes a soft illuminated landmark at night.

The fountain is plumbed into the pool’s existing circulation with an independent pump, and the 304 grade with a protective passivation keeps the mirror finish bright against coastal salt.

The brief

A coastal resort group commissioned the fountain for the pool terrace of one of its Phuket properties in Thailand. The terrace runs along an infinity edge, so the piece is seen from the loungers, from the water and from the bar deck above.

The client wanted a centrepiece that could run continuously without weekly attention from a small engineering team. The site is salt air, chlorinated water, monsoon sun and storm wind; the programme was 12 weeks, delivered in 2024.

Design approach

We set three machined bowls on a slow taper so the cascade reads as one vertical gesture rather than a stack. At 3.2 m H × 2 m Ø the fountain sits just above seated eye line, keeping the water visible from the loungers while the horizon stays open.

Material & engineering

304 stainless steel was the specified grade, chosen against bronze for the marine-adjacent environment and against a heavier alloy for weight on the timber deck. The surface is electro-polished and passivated before dispatch, which is what keeps a mirror finish bright at the coast.

Where a component sits in direct splash we specify 316 for the same reason. The fountain runs on an independent circulation loop, so the resort can service it without interrupting the pool plant.

Fabrication & finish

The bowls were formed in the workshop, the rims machined true and the outlets balanced by hand, then welded and dressed so the internal water path stays clean and accessible. Each unit ran a full cycle on the test bench before dispatch.

Installation

The fountain arrived in three sections and was craned onto the deck over a closed morning, with the pedestal anchored to the plinth and the pipework joined to the terrace riser. Commissioning covered flow balance, lighting and a chlorine check on wetted parts.

Outcome & value

The piece has held its finish through the coastal seasons on a standard rinse and polish routine. For the operator the value is a water feature with no paint, no patina to manage and no seasonal re-coating.