It seems that the Place des Nations was destined to welcome water. As early as 1994, Massimiliano Fuksas, winner of an international competition, had envisioned a series of « mirror » water planes crisscrossed by pedestrian pathways. However, four years later, the citizens of the City of Geneva, consulted by referendum, overwhelmingly rejected this proposal.

In 2001, the Orsol project, selected through another international competition, once again placed water at the heart of the design. Eighty-one jets spring from the ground, winding their way between granite slabs sourced from all corners of the world, illustrating the international character of the site, while incorporating a more local stone to mark Geneva’s neutral ground. The placement of the jets, echoing the granite bands representing the UN member nations, serves as a reminder that water unites what borders divide.