The new Slovak National Theatre (SND) building and the surrounding area were designed by the architectural team BKPŠ (Martin Kusý Sr, Pavol Paňák, Peter Bauer), as awarded through a vigorously contested competition in 1980. This followed studies to establish a suitable location for the new SND building, and Martanovičova Street (today Pribinova Street) was selected from more than ten contenders as it adjoined the then harbour and industrial zone on the Danube embankment, an area scheduled for future city development.  

Location near the embankment and river was a key factor for the positioning and orientation of the new SND building, as well as for placement of artworks on the perpendicular axis between the theatre and the river – a compositional axis that symbolises water flow from the Little Carpathians to the Danube. Central within the SND entrance hall is the sculpture Spring, a work in metal and glass by Dušan Búřil and Peter Bauer. The interior artwork is complemented by the exterior fountain Water Spring (also colloquially known as Dancer) designed by A. Bilkovič and Ilya Skoček Sr in cooperation with P. Bauer. 

It features exposed metal water pipes within a simple low circular basin and stepped surround that are clad in noble stone. The fountain is dominated by an irregularly shaped bronze sculpture, its orientation offering a view from the inner archway via the space in front of the theatre to the embankment and river. The vista remains impressive despite the additions of the Eurovea centre’s fountain and the monument to M. R. Štefánik on the embankment. Looking towards the SND, views of the fountain, as well as through the fountain, are enhanced by the rounded glazed entrance façade, which mirrors the fountain day and night in series of varyingly lit reflections.  

Water Spring was originally supplemented by a stone water cascade designed by Peter Roller, but this has long been inactive, and its further fate is unknown. 

ZD

Research status as of 31 January 2025.