El Alamein Memorial Fountain (1961)

Fitzroy Gardens, 64-68 Macleay St, Potts Point 2011

Who doesn’t love the ‘dandelion’? It’s a simple idea beautifully realised, and an oasis of calm. Bob Woodward’s modernist sculpture was installed to commemorate the Australian soldiers who fought in the Battle of El Alamein (in northern Egypt), a turning point in World War II – but has become a fully fledged part of the Cross life – and a popular meeting spot. Fans of mid-century Scando design might pick up on the influence: Woodward studied under Finnish architect and designer Alvar Aalto in the 1950s, and his design principles rubbed off.