Tom Bass' famous fountain sculpture was in the way of the Sydney Metro. Something had to go.

“But these were modernist artists creating important work. Bass was probably the leading public artist at the time. Most of his work is relief sculpture on the sides of buildings, but this was the first major sculpture in Sydney that bit deep into the skin of the architecture. It was a bold move.”

Bass' copper fountain was carefully pried out in three pieces, packed in boxes and stored together with the Annand works in a subway storage depot.

“They took care of it … until it was time to restore and restore the artwork, and I think they did a great job.”

Margo Hoeskstra, widow of the artist Tom Bass

The artist's widow, Margo Hoekstra, herself a sculptor, and his adult children Belinda and Tim were consulted.

An initial condition report identified signs of corrosion, material fatigue and markings, said Kate Ffrench Blake, Precinct Activation Director at Macquarie Group.

“None of the hoses connecting the nozzles could be reused and the original water tank was corroded,” she said. There were extensive discussions about how fast the water should flow in the restored fountain. An intelligent system was installed to control water pressure and filter out impurities.

The copper surface of the fountain was soda blasted and carefully given a patina that matches the original. The surface was sealed with several layers of protective wax.

In total, the restoration work took three years from start to finish before the fountain could be reinstalled just one block away at the same height that the editors of OZ Magazine had found so practical.

“We made a commitment to the family that it would be restored and then worked closely with Sydney Metro to make that happen,” said ffrench Blake. “It's an important work for Sydney and it's important that it is restored and preserved for future generations.”

Hoekstra was present at the unveiling in June: “They were very sensitive about removing the old work in the P&O building,” she said.

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“They took care of it and stored it until the time came to restore the artwork and put it back up. I think they did a great job. Well done.”

In addition to the heritage sites, the One Elizabeth precinct features three significant works by Mikala Dwyer, including two visually striking hanging sculptures and a large tile mural; a three-part work by Debra Beale consisting of finely crafted copper inlays depicting fauna native to Tank Stream and its surroundings; and a large wall sculpture. Magic Circleby Claire Healy and Sean Cordeiro.

Tina Havelock Stevens' sound and light carpet was commissioned by the Macquarie Group for the underground pedestrian tunnel, Acoustic luminescence has proven to be a great success with commuters.

You can hear man-made sounds of steam trains, string instruments and singing, but also the country's cultural heritage, such as nature's pre-colonial symphony of magpies, shrikes, lyrebirds and owls.

Sydney Metro took inspiration from the London Underground and the New York Subway and designed public artworks for all stations on the $21.6 billion railway line between Tallawong and Sydenham.

Fenner said that internationally it has been found that the use of art makes places safer and less prone to crime.

“People feel safer and the art also serves a space-forming function: 'We meet at the fountain.' People are already attracted to the new district as an art destination and for commuters it offers a cultural layer and a sense of belonging,” she said.