Wet Graft (Extension of the Santo António Public Fountain).

An Interspecies Water Infrastructure. Carvalhal Formoso, Portugal, 2025.

The intervention extends a public fountain built in 1985, when running water was not yet available in every home in the village. One of its two taps was adapted to distribute water among other inhabitants of the square, while the second retains its original human use.

An open basin offers space for aquatic plants and access to water. A raised bowl allows birds to drink and bathe, while overflowing water keeps a surface of moss continuously damp, creating conditions for insects and other forms of life.

Developed through conversations with the local community, the work revisits an earlier gesture of sharing water. Rather than replacing the fountain, it extends its hospitality, allowing different inhabitants, materials and rhythms to participate in its continuing transformation.

The inauguration included a public presentation and an open conversation with the village community.

Research and funding acknowledgement

The documentation and analysis of this work form part of doctoral research supported by Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P. (FCT), under doctoral fellowship 2024.02417.BD. 

Nuno Vicente
info@nuno-vicente.com
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