Works are progressing well on site – in fact the scheme is very much in it’s final phase of works to complete the landscape around the site.
Most of the interpretive public art elements are now installed throughout the site.
The content of many of these images you may be familiar with – but the installation is much nearer to completion with the soft landscape details really making an impact on the interpretation and public art elements. Area Landscape Architectsare responsible for the external landscape concept, design and strategy and have created a sensitive and wonderful scheme, which I have been fortunate to work within.
Central Chelmsford for Genesis Housing Association. Detail: Courtyard with slatted timber seating routed with text as part of the embedded public art interpretation. Image taken during installation on site. Image: Christopher TippingCentral Chelmsford for Genesis Housing Association. Detail: Yorkstone steps with inset granite text – a part of the embedded public art interpretation – image taken during installation on site. Image: Christopher TippingCentral Chelmsford for Genesis Housing Association. Detail: Yorkstone steps with inset granite text – a part of the embedded public art interpretation – image taken during installation on site. Image: Christopher TippingCentral Chelmsford for Genesis Housing Association. Detail: Yorkstone steps with inset granite text & timber seating routed with more text as part of the embedded public art interpretation. The image was taken during installation on site. Image: Christopher TippingCentral Chelmsford for Genesis Housing Association. Detail: Yorkstone steps with inset granite text & timber seating routed with more text as part of the embedded public art interpretation. The image was taken during installation on site. Image: Christopher TippingCentral Chelmsford for Genesis Housing Association. Detail: Yorkstone steps with inset granite text & timber seating routed with more text as part of the embedded public art interpretation. The image was taken during installation on site. Image: Christopher TippingCentral Chelmsford for Genesis Housing Association. Detail: Courtyard with slatted timber seating routed with text as part of the embedded public art interpretation. Image taken during installation on site. Image: Christopher TippingCentral Chelmsford for Genesis Housing Association. Detail: Courtyard with slatted timber seating routed with text as part of the embedded public art interpretation. Image taken during installation on site. Image: Christopher TippingCentral Chelmsford for Genesis Housing Association. Detail: Courtyard with slatted timber seating routed with text as part of the embedded public art interpretation. Image taken during installation on site. Image: Christopher Tipping
Central Chelmsford for Genesis Housing Association. Detail: Courtyard with slatted timber seating routed with text as part of the embedded public art interpretation. Image taken during installation on site. Image: Christopher TippingCentral Chelmsford for Genesis Housing Association. Detail: Courtyard with slatted timber seating routed with text as part of the embedded public art interpretation. Image taken during installation on site. Image: Christopher TippingCentral Chelmsford for Genesis Housing Association. Detail: Digitally printed glazing manifestations form part of the embedded public art interpretation. Image taken during installation on site. Image: Christopher TippingCentral Chelmsford for Genesis Housing Association. Detail: Shadows cast by the digitally printed glazing manifestations, which form part of the embedded public art interpretation, add to the experience of the internal lobby entrance. Image taken during installation on site. Image: Christopher TippingCentral Chelmsford for Genesis Housing Association. Detail: Courtyard with slatted timber seating routed with text as part of the embedded public art interpretation. Image taken during installation on site. Image: Christopher TippingCentral Chelmsford for Genesis Housing Association. Detail: Sandblasted stone with Anne Knight quotation as part of the embedded public art interpretation. Image taken during installation on site. Image: Christopher Tipping
“Never will the nations of the earth be well governed until both sexes, as well as all parties, are fully represented and have an influence, a voice, and a hand in the enactment and administration of the law”.Anne Knight, 1847.
Central Chelmsford for Genesis Housing Association. Detail: Sandblasted stone with references to Anne Knight of Chelmsford as part of the embedded public art interpretation. Image taken during installation on site. Image: Christopher TippingCentral Chelmsford for Genesis Housing Association. Detail: Sandblasted granite with text as part of the embedded public art interpretation. Image taken during installation on site. Image: Christopher TippingCentral Chelmsford for Genesis Housing Association. Detail: Central Courtyard in progress, with embedded public art & interpretative detail. Image taken during installation on site. Image: Christopher Tipping
A quick site visit yesterday – 19th March – to see the manifestation sample installed in the M1 / M2 Block entrance lobby. This is one of the interpretive artworks on site – part of the public realm and public art enhancements.
Central Chelmsford, Genesis Housing Association. Landscape and embedded public art interpretation during installation on site. Image:Christopher Tipping
This is the interior courtyard space, which we know as The Place – this is a public space for both residents and pedestrians alike. The site will provides a new pedestrian route along a desire line from Chelmsford Station, through to the town centre.
Genesis Housing Association. Detail: sandblasted granite paving, part of the embedded public art interpretation, taken during installation on site. Image: Christopher Tipping
The green granite with sandblasted text is supplied by Hardscape.
Genesis Housing Association. Detail: sandblasted granite paving, part of the embedded public art interpretation, taken during installation on site. Image: Christopher TippingGenesis Housing Association. A view of the interior courtyard known as The Place, with embedded public art interpretation, taken during installation on site. Image: Christopher TippingCentral Chelmsford for Genesis Housing Association. Detail: cnc routed text in slatted timber seating, part of the embedded public art interpretation, taken during installation on site. Image: Christopher Tipping
Central Chelmsford for Genesis Housing Association. Detail: cnc routed text in slatted timber seating, part of the embedded public art interpretation, taken during installation on site. Image: Christopher TippingCentral Chelmsford for Genesis Housing Association. Detail: slatted timber seating, part of the embedded public art interpretation carries cnc routed text – image taken during installation on site. Image: Christopher TippingCentral Chelmsford for Genesis Housing Association. Detail: large platform slatted timber seating, part of the embedded public art interpretation carries cnc routed text – image taken during installation on site. Image: Christopher TippingCentral Chelmsford for Genesis Housing Association. Detail: Yorkstone steps with inset granite text to the risers, part of the embedded public art interpretation – image taken during installation on site. Image: Christopher Tipping
The York Stone steps with inset granite text are manufactured by the Ashfield Group.
Central Chelmsford for Genesis Housing Association. Detail: Yorkstone steps with inset granite text to the risers, part of the embedded public art interpretation – image taken during installation on site. Image: Christopher TippingCentral Chelmsford for Genesis Housing Association. Detail: Yorkstone steps with inset granite text to the risers, part of the embedded public art interpretation – image taken during installation on site. Image: Christopher TippingCentral Chelmsford for Genesis Housing Association. Glazing manifestation test sample to M1 / M2 Block entrance lobby. Image: Christopher TippingCentral Chelmsford for Genesis Housing Association. Glazing manifestation test sample to M1 / M2 Block entrance lobby. Image: Christopher TippingCentral Chelmsford for Genesis Housing Association. Glazing manifestation test sample to M1 / M2 Block entrance lobby. Image: Christopher TippingCentral Chelmsford for Genesis Housing Association. Glazing manifestation test sample to M1 / M2 Block entrance lobby. Image: Christopher Tipping
Interior of entrance lobby – with sample vinyl manifestation taped to the glazing. The weather was really dull & overcast. The printed white inks don’t jump out very much. If it had been bright and sunny, the design would cast a myriad of shadows onto the frame and floors. Will have to wait & see how that works out !
Central Chelmsford for Genesis Housing Association. Glazing manifestations are being applied to the glazed screen for M1 / M2 Block entrance lobby. Image: Christopher TippingCentral Chelmsford for Genesis Housing Association. Glazing manifestation test sample to M1 / M2 Block entrance lobby. Image: Christopher TippingCentral Chelmsford for Genesis Housing Association. Glazing manifestation test sample to M1 / M2 Block entrance lobby. Image: Christopher TippingCentral Chelmsford for Genesis Housing Association. Glazing manifestation test sample to M1 / M2 Block entrance lobby. Image: Christopher Tipping
Works are well underway by the Ashfield Group to manufacture and supply the artwork step details to the project. The double height steps in York Stone are being inset with a darker granite text detail set into the face of the riser, which is part of the art interpretation on site. These double height steps will also have a slatted timber top, which creates ad hoc seating within the main sequence of steps at the southern end of the site. The timber will also carry cnc routed text.
Individual water jet cut granite letters are inset into York Stone, which has had the word already cut by water jet as a negative space. Image by Ashfield GroupThe letters are cut from granite tiles. Image by Ashfield GroupImage by Ashfield GroupImage by Ashfield GroupImage by Ashfield GroupImage by Ashfield GroupThe finished step block with negative text space awaiting granite letters to be inset. Image by Ashfield GroupFinished ! Image by Ashfield Group
The timber seating units for The Gate – a set of 6 radius benches with cnc routed text – are currently being installed at the Central Chelmsford site. The benches are being manufactured by City Squared in Leeds & installed by Ground Control. The designs were developed in collaboration with City Squared. The cnc routed text refers to the history, location and memory of the space & is defined by the adjacency of the Anne Knight Building, which has been refurbished & is considered the anchor building of the development site.
Plan drawing showing the arrangement of radius timber benches within the area known as The Gate.One of the benches in the factory during manufacture by City Squared. Image by City Squared.Detail: Timber sections set out in the factory. Note the cnc routed text. Image by City Squared.For engineering & structural reasons, the long arcs of the benches had to be constructed in two sections. Image by City SquaredEach of the benches has a timber upstand end against which one can rest or lean. The timber detail is reinforced with a stainless steel internal frame and horizontal steel pins. Image by City SquaredThe detailing is very well engineered and finished. Image by City SquaredThe timber benches sit atop a brick built plinth, which mirrors the semi circular setting out of the site. The benches here have not be fully installed and fastened. Image by Ground Control
Detail of cnc routed text. The benches are constructed in two sections. The sections have yet to be aligned during installation. Image by Ground ControlImage by City Squared.
507 new homes as well as retail and offices will make up the new development. The project is delivering a blueprint for a new community in Chelmsford.
The site has a number of key buildings once part of Anglia Ruskin University, which are being partly or wholly retained and refurbished. These are the Frederick Chancellor Building of 1905 and the Law Building of 1931.
One of the most historic & resonant as well as the earliest buildings on the site is the Grade II listedAnne Knightbuilding, a former Friends Meeting House from 1824. Named after one of Chelmsford’s most distinguished women, Anne Knight 1786 – 1862.
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. She would have attended this Quaker Meeting House, now named after her. This is the key anchor building on site.The refurbished Anne Knight Building with new public realm
The view of The Gate with its blue black brick curved elevation. This area is intended as a public open space, extending the forecourt and public realm of Chelmsford Station. The ground floor elevations are glazed and the interiors will be used as retail and food outlets.
Looking South, through the aperture into The Place. The elevation of The Gate is dynamic & brooding. The crisp detailing is pared down. A facade of cantilevered black balconies appear to jut out from deep into the interior of the building from recessed windows.
Looking south towards Central Park through The Place. The main pedestrian route will be on the left of this image, with the remaining site will be landscaped as a formal courtyard garden for residents and visitors alike
The view north, towards the Station from within The Place
These are both samples of text to be used in the interpretive artwork which is embedded throughout the site. The sample on the left is York Stone with inset water jet cut grey granite, by Ashfield Ltd. Inset text such as this is used for step risers at the south of the site. The sandblasted sample on the right is part of a Royal Green granite paving supplied by Hardscape , called The Stream which runs continuously through the site north to south. Both interventions are based on contextual and site specific research I undertook.
Detailed design for the Inset text to the Eastern set of steps. Central Chelmsford.
Detailed design for text to the Southern set of York stone steps. Central Chelmsford.
Ashfield Ltd released some images of sample details for the York Stone steps with inset granite text. All looking very good & can’t wait to see a finished step. The text is in a mid grey honed granite. When wet this will become darker and much more of a contrast to the York Stone. Hopefully Ashfield will issue more images as the works progress.
Details of the text for several steps are used here on a sample panel awaiting approval.Details of partial words and phrases – “Calm & quietude’, ‘Can you see the Can?’ & ‘Hurricane’. Inset granite text to York stone step.Text sample images. Central Chelmsford project.
This is the Central Chelmsford development as seen from the southern edge of the site, looking north.Draft designs for granite inset text to York stone steps & cnc routed text to timber seating of ‘The Steps’ at the southern end of the site.
The Central Chelmsford development has been in progress on site since 2012. I was commissioned to join the team as project artist in January of this year.
You can hear more on the project via this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orYUpbnacis
The site has a number of key buildings which were once a part of of Anglia Ruskin University. 507 new homes as well as retail and offices will make up the new development. The project is delivering a new community in Chelmsford.
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. Anne Knight was a Quaker and a stalwart Anti Abolitionist, attending the World Anti Slavery Convention meeting held in London in 1840. Her views and 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 have also responded to the landscape plans and architectural flow & rhythm of the site as well exploring how the various elements & spaces of the site are navigated and used by pedestrians. As the hub of a new community, the communal areas of the development are important places for people to take ownership of.
As well as collaborating with the project team I am also working and collaborating with several manufacturers and specialist contractors such as Hardscape, Ashfield Ltd & City Squared on elements of paving, seating and steps throughout the site, where interventions will be made via cnc routed text into timber and water jet cut and sandblasted granite.
I am working with City Squared in Leeds to develop the bespoke timber seating as well as to perfect the cnc routed text applied to the the timber. I have most recently been in discussions with a typographer to ensure that all the text is delivered with clarity and distinction.Draft visual for proposals to sandblast detail onto a large granite platform seat.An aerial view of the site which sits adjacent to the railway line – outlined here in red.Vertically set, black brick curving facade of The Gate which forms the key elevation & gateway on siteDetail: Plan drawings & draft scope for timber seating and granite detailing within The PlaceThere are a number of brick built tree planters within The Place. Several of them have timber seating detailed as part of the artwork scheme. This visual for a large timber platform seat with longitudinal timbers is still in development. It will also have text added via cnc routing. Visual by City Squared.Draft: Granite text to York Stone double step risers with timber seatEarly draft visual – an elevation drawing of The Steps, with inset granite text to York Stone risers and digital manifestation to the glazed curtain wall.
