The building was delivered by Taunton and Somerset NHS Foundation Trust’s Capital Project Team in partnership with BAM and BDP Architects
This invitation marks the official opening of the Jubilee Building at Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton
I was commissioned on several projects in relation to the new building as well as being involved with the Trust as Lead Artist for almost 10 years, throughout their 10 year programme of regeneration and new build.
‘Murmuration’and ’70 years on…’ are two of the projects now completed & installed in the building. These have both featured in detail in earlier posts here. Please scroll down to review –
’70 Years on…’ detail of tensile artwork in the Central Concourse of the new Jubilee Building at Musgrove Park Hospital. Image:John Seaman
Interpretation poster for the tensile artwork ’70 years on…’ Jubilee Building, Musgrove Park Hospital. Artist: Christopher Tipping Poster:Colourtone (Taunton) Ltd
Yesterday, I travelled up to Aylesbury to discuss the possibility of being commissioned for more work for the Whiteleaf Centre, which is now open and fully operational. This is the first visit I have made since the Centre opened. Really interesting to see it animated & full of people. Tom Cox from Artcare at Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust who commissioned all the artists for the project accompanied me around the wards and introduced my to staff who discussed with us the impact of the original artwork installations and the possibility of future collaborations with staff and service users to build upon this. Watch this space !
Within the ward hubs there are some high windows, which really demonstrated the effectiveness of the glazing manifestations in producing variation and change within the spaces depending on the weather.
Whiteleaf Centre, Aylesbury. Glazing manifestation by Christopher TippingWhiteleaf Centre, Aylesbury. Glazing manifestation by Christopher TippingWhiteleaf Centre, Aylesbury. Glazing manifestation by Christopher TippingWhiteleaf Centre, Aylesbury. Glazing manifestation by Christopher Tipping.Whiteleaf Centre, Aylesbury. Detail of entrance corridor glazing manifestation by Christopher Tipping.Whiteleaf Centre, Aylesbury. Detail of glazing manifestation in entrance corridor by Christopher TippingWhiteleaf Centre, Aylesbury. Detail of glazing manifestation to cafe & waiting area by Christopher TippingWhiteleaf Centre, Aylesbury. External view of large meeting room glazing manifestation by Christopher Tipping
Great news to end 2014 & a promising start to 2015 !
On 22nd December 2014 I was appointed as the artist to the team for the new bus station at Merthyr Tydfil.
“The appointed artist will work as part of a multi disciplinary design team to look for opportunities to contribute to the design of the bus station both in terms of function and aesthetics. The development of a new Central Bus Station for Merthyr Tydfil is one of the last major regeneration projects for the heart of the town centre.
Through extensive public consultation held in June 2014, the majority of the public recognised the need to relocate the bus station; however concerns were raised over anti-social behaviour, accessibility and close proximity to a residential area. It is critical that the design addresses these concerns whilst looking for a contemporary design that has a unique appearance which is respectful to the surrounding area.
This is an excellent opportunity for an artist to make a real contribution to the design of an important part of the town’s transport infrastructure and a critical building within the townscape. The appointed artist will be expected to bring a new perspective to the design team crossing traditional skills boundaries and linking different design disciplines.”
The brief and scope is wide ranging at this stage, but is focussed on the use of research led contextual studies with which to influence the design process and eventual outcome of the project.
I will be starting work on the project in January 2015 & look forward to working & collaborating with the people of Merthyr Tydfil as soon as possible.
This blog will be made open to everyone involved in the project to review, comment upon & contribute to the programme and research.
HISTORIC EVIDENCE & CONTEXTUAL RESEARCH FOR BURGESS STREAM, CENTRAL CHELMSFORD
1855 – This is the only known photograph of Anne Knight. She would be 69 years old in this image, 7 years before her death at the age of 76. Image: Library of the Religious Society of Friends in Britain, Friends House, Euston Rd, London
One of the most historic & resonant as well as the earliest buildings on the site is the Grade II listed Anne Knight building, a former Friends Meeting House from 1824. Named after one of Chelmsford’s most distinguished women, Anne Knight 1786 – 1862.
I have based my creative response and interventions broadly on the following:
1. The life and times of Anne Knight, which may represent her achievement & legacy. This can be portrayed as a narrative using quotations attributed to her and / or synonyms and metaphors, which may be suggestive of her character & personality.
2. The history of the area bounded by the current site development.
3. Movement through & use of the site as suggested by the current designs, which could explore connectivity, way finding & a triumvirate of new public spaces to expl
4. Nature, landscape and geography as suggested by the adjacency to Central Park and the vista from the upper levels of the flight of steps from The Place.
5. The building & ‘genesis’ of a new Community on the site.
6. Human traits, conditions and aspirations as described or suggested by metaphors and synonyms for landscape & community.
Anne Knight was a Quaker and a stalwart Anti Abolitionist, one of very few women to attend the World Anti Slavery Convention meeting held in London in 1840. The treatment of women at this pivotal event, when those attending were asked to sit behind a curtain and were not allowed to contribute to the debate, was to shape her views and future correspondence on women’s rights & led to her publishing what is considered to be the very first leaflet on women’s suffrage in 1847. I was inspired to use her journey as an anchor for the creative response partly for her stoical and focussed achievements during her lifetime and partly as her humanity and sense of purpose in fighting publicly for equality & the rights of others in community, was matched by her familial and personal correspondence and relationship with her seven siblings and parents.
1855 – This is the only known photograph of Anne Knight. She would be 69 years old in this image, 7 years before her death at the age of 76. Image: Library of the Religious Society of Friends in Britain, Friends House, Euston Rd, London
“By tortured millions, By the divine redeemer, Enfranchise Humanity, Bid the Outraged World, BE FREE”. Anne Knight 1855
I have also responded to the immediate and contemporary physical landscape plans and architectural form to explore the flow & rhythm of the site, exploring how the various elements & spaces developed for the project may be navigated and used by residents & pedestrians. This triumvirate of public spaces, currently known as The Gate, The Place & The Crossing, create between them a varied and exciting experience for the user. As the hub of a new community, the communal areas of the development are important places for people to take ownership of. There are busy, bustling retail anchored spaces, quiet spaces for reflection or for sitting with friends and family under the shade of trees and fluid pedestrian routes and vistas for traversing & looking out beyond the site.
Image: Library of the Religious Society of Friends in Britain, Friends House, Euston Rd, LondoDetail: Commemorative group portrait of the World Anti Slavery Convention held in London in June 1840, by the artist Benjamin Robert Haydon, 1841. National Portrait GalleryKnight Family Papers. Library of the Religious Society of Friends in Britain, Friends House, Euston Rd, London
Above: A section from a handwritten letter to Anne Knight from her sister Sophie, describing the moment she saw a comet, ‘comit’.
Pages from the notebook of Job Knight left to Anne after his death in 1819. She turned the notebook upside down and used the back for her own notes. – often in shorthand. -Library of the Religious Society of Friends in Britain, Friends House, Euston Rd, LondonJob Knight used this notebook to record various things, including lists of synonyms. He worked as a Cabinet Maker of St Martins, Ludgate, London & died in 1819 aged 31. Library of the Religious Society of Friends in Britain, Friends House, Euston Rd, LondonJob Knight – Notebook – “the last 8 or 9 years of my life have been wormwood & gall…” Library of the Religious Society of Friends in Britain, Friends House, Euston Rd, LondonJob Knight – Notebook – Detail: Job worked as a Cabinet Maker in London & died in 1821 aged 31
Anne Knight turned this copy of a ‘Plea for Woman: ..” by Mrs Hugo Reid into a notebook via many annotations and additions of paper, colour notes and printed tracts.
Library of the Religious Society of Friends in Britain, Friends House, Euston Rd, London
Anne Knight turned this copy of a ‘Plea for Woman: ..” by Mrs Hugo Reid into a notebook via many annotations and additions of paper, colour notes and printed tracts.
Anne Knight turned this copy of a ‘Plea for Woman: ..” by Mrs Hugo Reid into a notebook via many annotations and additions of paper, colour notes and printed tracts.
Library of the Religious Society of Friends in Britain, Friends House, Euston Rd, London
Anne Knight turned this copy of a ‘Plea for Woman: ..” by Mrs Hugo Reid into a notebook via many annotations and additions of paper, colour notes and printed tracts. Here she has pressed a flower – most likely a daisy.
Library of the Religious Society of Friends in Britain, Friends House, Euston Rd, London
Anne Knight turned this copy of a ‘Plea for Woman: ..” by Mrs Hugo Reid into a notebook via many annotations and additions of paper, colour notes and printed tracts.
Library of the Religious Society of Friends in Britain, Friends House, Euston Rd, London
The image above shows the sale catalogue in regard to the Estate of the late Sophie Knight, Anne’s younger sister. Library of the Religious Society of Friends in Britain, Friends House, Euston Rd, London
More images in today from Hardscape detailing the manufacture of the large platform seat for Central Chelmsford.
Vinyl plotted with the design is applied to the granite slab before sandblasting.AS the process continues, the vinyl is stripped away to reveal areas to be sandblasted.The process is a skilled & precise one for Vlad to undertake. The slabs cannot be moved easily, so he has to move around the work.
The sandblast is no more than 2mm deep across the slab. The fine honed finish on the surface will be retained under the vinyl which still covers the letters.
The fine work is excellent. All the vinyl stencil which has been plotted and cut has to be weeded out by hand for sandblasting.The four granite slabs which make up the large platform seat awaiting more sandblasting outside.
Granite slabs completed. When wet the granite will become almost uniformly dark. As the surface dries, the images and text will begin to reveal themselves. The areas with no sandblasting or shallow detail will dry out first.
In researching this project I have engaged with many individuals, institutions and stakeholders in order to decipher the history of our site. I am immensely grateful to all those who contributed.
The purpose of taking this approach to research is twofold.
Firstly it fosters a sense of common ownership around the project. People have given their information and experience freely in order to see these improvement be made.
Secondly, the collaborative exchange of information has enriched the debate around the design outcomes, This can only be a positive step forward. The project now on the ground is all the better for this.
Thanks to all who have contributed thus far. The following is not an exclusive list – & I am adding to it all the time !
The following set of images – all credited – have been used to inform and influence the design process. They formed a brilliant & illuminating part of the contextual research, which has influenced the design process throughout the project – & which is quite frankly – ongoing …the research never stops !
‘The Walls of Southampton’ an engraving by WH Bartlett 1809 – 1854. The work was made as an illustration for the book ‘The Ports, Harbours, Watering Places and Coast Scenery of Great Britain’. 1842, by William Finden, Edward Francis Finden & William Henry Bartlett
Sailing near the walls of Southampton and the West Quay area on a stormy day in late Victorian times. The embayment (West Bay) is an old meander of the River Test, flooded by the rising sea levels of the Holocene (current epoch) following the last ice age. This image is a wide angle view from near the present site of Southampton Central Station and looks out towards Town Quay – the site of the West Quay Shopping Centre & John Lewis. Ian West & Tonya West 2008
The image ties in wonderfully well with a description of a great storm in West Bay in 1893
An extract from the Parish of St Peters Church, Commercial Road. Magazine No 5 January 1894 by Rev H C Percival
“We have had our share of the late terrific storm, as well as much of the sunshine of Christmas. It is not often that St Peters Parish and people see the usually placid Southampton water assume the appearance of the Bay of Biscay. But on Tuesday the 12th December (1893), we actually had a wreck on the shore in this parish and waves did much damage along the Western Shore. Our Church too suffered much more damage than is generally known. When the gale was at its height, about 3pm, some slates were carried a distance of about 3o yards and hurled with terrific force through one of the small stained windows of the Chancel. The iron guard outside was beat like thin wire and the lead & glass of the window were driven in and the window was smashed into thousands of fragments…one of our beautiful churchyard evergreen Oaks has been sadly damaged and now presents a very one sided appearance. In front of our school, slates were sticking in the ground, as though some giant from the opposite side of Commercial Road had been playing quoits all the afternoon”.
This view of around 1810 looking out over West Bay towards the City walls is thought to be almost on the site of the present day Costa Coffee shop opposite the Station Main Entrance. Image: Collection of John SilmanA view east towards the city with St Peters Church in the background. This drawing by Philip Brannon shows the shoreline around Blechynden at some point soon after the coming of the railway in 1847. The image was accompanied by the words…”a stroll along the beach was enhanced by a glimpse of a steam engine, where the line passed close to the shore”. St Peters Church on Commercial Rd was completed in 1842. Image by permission of Southampton City Council Local Studies and Maritime Collection.
A reference to Blechynden before the coming of the railways. Newspaper cutting image by permission of Southampton City Council Local Studies and Maritime CollectionA reference to the area known as Blechynden before the coming of the railways. Newspaper cutting image by permission of Southampton City Council Local Studies and Maritime CollectionA view towards Millbrook from the bridge over the railway tunnel dated around 1880. The original Blechynden or West Station in Southampton can be seen on the right. Image: Bert Moody Collection / Cope Collection
This image of the down side of the track during high tide in 1890 shows just how close the train passed to the shoreline and the waters edge. Weymouth Terrace can be seen in the background. The footbridge is still in use today ! Image: Bert Moody Collection.
This was the new Southampton West Station opened on 1st November 1895. It had an 82 foot clock tower & had been built upon nursery gardens. Image: Bert Moody Collection
‘In the 1890’s Southampton Corporation sold an area of land for the construction of the new station. The land involved was partly field & partly shoreline and was therefore subject to tidal flooding’. ‘The new station was opened on 1st November 1895. The clock tower had been a landmark long before the Civic Centre was built in 1931. It was damaged by bombing in WWII and finally demolished to make way for the new station and Overline House in 1966/67.
This image of the old station south side – down side – is now adjacent to the A3024 Western Esplanade road. It was once next to the water’s edge. The sea wall is in the foreground. Date unknown – post 1895 – Image: Bert Moody Collection.Looking from Town Quay across West Bay towards Blechynden circa 1890’s / 1900. Image by kind permission of Southampton Daily EchoWest Bay, Southampton, taken from the city walls between 1895 – 1912 looking towards Blechynden. St Peter’s Church can be see on the horizon. The waters edge is clearly defined by coping stone and paving detail. Image by kind permission of the Southampton Daily Echo.
This post-1910 image taken from Weymouth Terrace, looks towards Blechynden with the station clocktower clearly visible. To the right of this is the large brick built Emperia Building of around 1905. This first housed a mineral water factory IDRIS & Co, but by 1913 the building was used by BAT, British American Tobacco. This operation closed in 1921 & the building was destroyed by bombing in 1940. Parts of the building are still clearly visible today. Image: Bert Moody CollectionThis photograph of 1909 is a view from the water’s edge towards the down side line of Southampton Station. Image: John Alsop Collection
This wonderfully intimate image of 1910, shows people and horses enjoying the waters edge just outside the station. Views are across West Bay to the city walls and Town Quay. Image by kind permission of Southampton Daily EchoDetail: This image of 1910, shows people and horses enjoying the waters edge just outside the station. Views are across West Bay to the city walls and Town Quay. Image by kind permission of Southampton Daily Echo
A cold and somewhat bleak image of Southampton West Station date unknown, but probably around 1910. To the right can just been seen the signage for the West Station Hotel on Blechynden Terrace. Image by kind permission of Southampton Daily Echo.An Edwardian view of Southampton West Station taken between 1901 & 1910. Horse drawn carriages await passengers. Image: John Alsop CollectionA colour tinted postcard view of Southampton Station at high tide in 1905. I have added the place names . Note the tall brick chimney of the Power Station, built in 1903 & demolished in the 1970’s. Image: John Alsop Collection
A more detailed black & white image, probably taken from the same postcard image as above – in 1905, showing the Station Concourse and environs including Emperia Buildings & the Power Station. Image: Bert Moody Collection
A Postcard image from 1911 of a Station guard or Station Master standing on the up line at Southampton Station. Image: Bert Moody CollectionThis image of Southampton Station south side taken from the water’s edge is actually taken from a newspaper cutting, date unknown, but around the turn of the century. The steps and bridge crossing on the far right of the image are still in use today. Image: Bert Moody Collection.Steam train passing through from 1936. The spire of St Peters Church is just visible on the left & the footbridge, still in use today to cross the tracks is on the far right. Image: Bert Moody Collection
An aerial view of Southampton Station looking down track towards Millbrook, probably taken from the Emperia Building on Blechynden Terrace in 1931. The reclamation of West Bay had already begun as you can see top left , for the expansion of the Western Docks. Image: Bert Moody Collection / Southampton Daily EchoThis aerial view across West Bay looking towards Millbrook & Southampton Station, shows the extent of the reclamation works underway during the construction & expansion of the Western Docks in 1929. Image: Dave Marden Collection – Associated British PortsThis is a map & plan of proposed and future dock expansion in West Bay which occurred through the 1930’s. Image: Dave Marden Collection – Associated British Ports1928 saw the building of the Mayflower Theatre – known as The Empire Theatre. The Power Station of 1903 and the Lido from 1854 had begun the reclamation of land from West Bay, which was then taken to another level entirely by the docks expansion of the 1930’s. Southampton Station can be see in the centre of this image. Image: SCC Local & Maritime Aerial Collection.This image of 1928 from the Local & Maritime Aerial Collection of Southampton City Council, has been annotated by me to show the key buildings of our project area which is bounded by a red line.
A. St Peters Church, Commercial Road. Built 1845
B. Victoria Brewery, Commercial Road founded between 1863 & 1871 by Andrew Barlow, a business man & philanthropist who died in 1904 aged 84, the richest man to be buried in Southampton Cemetery!
C. Southampton Station of 1895
D. Emperia Building – Warehouses. Built around 1905, bombed out in 1940
E. Empire Theatre – now the Mayflower, built 1928
F. Power Station, built 1903
G. Kingsbridge Grammar School on Kingsbridge Lane
H. Blechynden Terrace & the Station forecourt
Cropped & annotated image of Commercial Road, Southampton in 1965. SCC Local Studies and Maritime Aerial Collection. Commercial Rd with Wyndham Court under construction.Cropped image of 1967. Looking north – this images gives a perfect west to east aerial view across the project site which is outlined in red – showing the construction of Overline House & Wyndham Court, between the railway line and Commercial Rd. The Civic Centre is at the top right hand side. SCC Local Studies and Maritime Aerial Collection.Cropped Image of 1967 showing the construction of Overline House and Wyndham Court. Blechynden Terrace runs vertically through the centre of this image, with Commercial Rd at the far right. Image: SCC Local Studies & Maritime Aerial Collection.Architects visualisation drawing for Wyndham Court, circa 1966. Image by kind permission of Southampton Daily EchoSouthampton Station Clocktower of 1895 during the final days of its demolition in 1966 to make way for Overline House. Image by kind permission of Southampton Daily EchoLooking towards Southampton Station, circa 1966 – probably taken from the Mayflower Theatre. Hill Street is the road on the right hand side – the street was completely demolished & is now under Wyndham Court. Image by kind permission of Southampton Daily Echo
An aerial image of the site around the Station, looking east towards the Civic Centre at top of image. The image was probably for planning purposes and shows the future phased redevelopment of the land between Commercial Road and south of the railway lines. Easy to see how much of this site was bombed out during WWII. These sites were left untouched until the mid sixties, when the site was redeveloped. Image by kind permission of Southampton Daily Echo
This image, looking east up Commercial Road, Southampton, towards the Mayflower (Gaumont) Theatre and Civic Centre, during the construction of Wyndham Court – circa 1967 / 1968. Image by kind permission of Southampton Daily Echo
Hardscape have just completed sandblasting the large granite platform seat for my project at Burgess Springs, Central Chelmsford. They sent over a couple of images yesterday. Looking pretty good from here – really want to see more images !
Hard to convey to convey the size of this piece of work – each slab is approx. 1200mm x 1200mm.
I think they have done a great job – cant wait to see it installed on site.
Image: Hardscape – Large Granite Platform Seat in 4 sections, each 1200mm x 1200mmImage: Hardscape – Large Platform Seat in 4 sections, each 1200mm x 1200mm
We have now agreed on which artworks will be delivered as A1 framed prints for the Trust Offices –
Draft Print 1 – The design was used for the Entrance Corridor glazed screen. It will be paired with Draft Print 2
Draft Print 2 – The design was used for Ward A . It will be paired with Draft Print 1
Draft Print 3 – Each tree design was used for the Large Meeting Room. It will be paired with Draft Print 4Draft Print 4 – Each tree design was used in Ward Hubs B & C. Both trees will be paired with Draft Print 3
One of the most striking & singular elements of the interpretation project at Burgess Springs, Central Chelmsford is the large granite platform seat.
This feature is some 2.4m square & manufactured in 4 large units. The surface is being sandblasted with images and text, both inspired by the writing of Anne Knight of Chelmsford.
The granite artwork is being project managed by Nigel Hudson, Masonry Product Manager for Hardscape at their premises at Long Marston, Stratford Upon Avon. The sandblasting is being carried out by Masonry Manager, Vladimir Zonozicka. We have met several times to discuss and sample the process & the collaboration has in turn, resulted in a much more interesting peice of work.
The image shows the light coloured vinyl stencil applied to the granite surface. Some layers of sandblasting have already been achieved & these have the vinyl stripped away to reveal the sandblasted surface. The deepest blasting is no more than 2mm, but the effects can be striking, particularly when wet or in direct sunlight. Image: HardscapeThe work is manufactured from a grey granite with a honed finish. The early artworks suggest a green colour – which was influenced by the Royal Green granite used for some paving detailing – this is not the case. Christopher Tipping for Central ChelmsfordDraft artwork in black & white with some text highlighted in red for the attention of the manufacturer, Hardscape. Christopher Tipping for Central Chelmsford
Draft artwork in black & white with some text highlighted in red for the attention of the manufacturer, Hardscape. Christopher Tipping for Central Chelmsford
Granite slab awaiting sandblasting by Hardscape. Christopher Tipping for Central Chelmsford
The art project is now completed on site with all the digitally printed panels installed.
I visited on Friday 14th November to review progress & the following images are taken from that visit.
External Landscape of the hospital – in progressEach of the 10 ward rooms has a variation upon a single design. This was achieved for both economy & to meet a very tight deadline.
The brief was built around the need for privacy in the rooms. Large glazed screens open up onto a landscaped courtyard. Although these spaces are being planted with trees and some small shrubs, most of the space would be turfed. Patients, staff & visitors can still see out from the windows in the knowledge that their privacy was being maintained. Opaque and transparent layers with drawn & cut out detailing were created to provide some variation & changeability in the surface.
When the sun comes out, the shadows follow.
Detail: Section of digitally printed glazing vinyl installed.
