Created by artist and acclaimed architect Dale Jones – Evans, in collaboration with Axolotl Art Projects, Top5Feet is inspired by the reservoir’s original purpose to provide water to parts of Sydney in the late 1880s.

The artwork references the reservoir’s original purpose and emphasises its shortcomings. When the reservoir was in operation, the limited elevation meant only the top five feet of water could be used to service dwellings.

Top5Feet features LED lights encased within layers of glass, with light and sound projections that transform the reservoir into a swimming pool of unmeasurable depth, with a person swimming continuous laps.

Dale studied fine arts (painting at Monash University 1975-77) followed by architecture (RMIT 1978-88) in Melbourne. He began his own art and architectural practice while a student (1981) then formed the infamous ‘enfant terrible’ architecture and design practice Biltmoderne (1983-87) which received numerous architectural awards and staged numerous art-furniture exhibitions.

Top5Feet installation early works were published in DOMUS magazine, Italy and he lived and worked in New York City (1986-1987). Dale formed his own practice (1988-) in Melbourne then Sydney (1996-). Dale has been the recipient of numerous Australian national and state awards (Victoria, New South Wales, Western Australia) for architectural excellence across a variety of project types and award categories, including the coveted National Robyn Boyd Award for residential architectural excellence.

Axolotl Art Projects has experience in developing art projects locally, nationally and internationally with artists, developers and local governments. As a consultant, project manager and manufacturer, their unique service for art projects encompasses the access to Axolotl’s proprietary techniques in metal, glass, timber and concrete.