The monumental sculpture adorning the two fountains is made of stainless steel, Philolaos' preferred material. It features a flower shape in a basin, a modern nod to Monet and a tribute to nature, which seems, at all costs, to be reclaiming its rights over concrete.

Philolaos is exhibiting two other works at La Défense: Oiseau mécanique and Cheminées.
 

Born in Greece, Philolaos Tloupas (known as Philolaos) moved to Paris in the 50s, where he studied at the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts. In 1963, the architect André Gomis invited him to create a "sculpture-architecture" in Valence, enabling him to discover the powers of urban aesthetics. He became the architect's sculptor. At the same time, one material opened up new possibilities for him and played an important role in his work: stainless steel. In particular, he uses its natural modularity to create forms that escape from geometry, the better to embrace nature. Pursuing his own personal style, Philolaos works in a variety of media, including terracotta, turned wood, smoothed marble and washed concrete.