In 1970, GRATALOUP was commissioned by his friend, the architect Denis Sloan, to design a monumental work for the gardens of the University of Créteil. He produced a project entitled The Garden of Meditations.

The design consisted of a hexagon set within a circular reflecting pool and surrounded by a landscaped area. The hexagon was composed of six equilateral triangles, each separated by reinforced concrete side walls. Every triangular slab was inclined at its own specific angle relative to the horizontal, resting both on the two lateral walls that defined it and on concrete supports. The entire structure stood on a reinforced concrete foundation slab.

The composition occupied the center of a circular pool, around whose outer edge variable-height water jets were installed. These jets sprayed the inclined slabs at angles precisely determined by the artist, creating a constantly changing interplay of water, light, and color.

The pool was enclosed by a landscaped garden composed of evergreen planting and paved walkways. Facing each colored slab stood a tree selected to harmonize with its corresponding hue—for example, a purple beech opposite the red slab.