ocated at the spot where the Flon once emptied into Lake Geneva, Surface aims to give a second life to this larger-than-life site, a vestige of Expo 64. The installation is activated every hour on the hour, setting the tempo for life on the Esplanade des Cantons. Like a mirror, water slowly creeps across the expanse of concrete before disappearing without a trace in a cloud of mist.

By subtly and reversibly altering the appearance of a site steeped in history, Surface brings back to the surface the waters of the Louve, a river that played a central role in shaping Lausanne’s physical landscape—and the city’s cultural identity. In doing so, it raises questions about the place of water in our cities, about our past, present and future relationship with developed land, and about the infrastructure—often buried underground—that sculpts and transforms our urban landscapes.