Design showcase
Public art intervention for a new promenade development at Colwyn Bay, through arts consultants RKL. Following two previous successful public art projects for the new promenade in Colwyn Bay Freshwest final intervention concluded with a group of life size silhouetted figures, made from Cor-ten steel. Permanently casting their shadows on the ground the figures reflect a single moment of time on Colwyn Bay’s beach now fixed as an ever lasting image of seaside life.
Light installation, Illuminate York, York City Council.
Commissioned to design and install a light installation for York’s most famous street The Shambles, as part of the city’s annual festival of light. The Shambles is one of Europe’s best preserved medieval streets. The installation, titled Join The Revolution, consisted of suspending 25 rotating mirror balls along the entire length of the street. By day the mirrored glitter balls challenged our idea of what an historic environment should look like and by night they transform the street into an immersive snow storm of light. The installation gained national recognition and was visited by over 80,000 people.
Public art, sculptural furniture for a new promenade development at Colwyn Bay.
Freshwest designed and delivered a series of benches to provide a mix use space that allowed the public to sit, recline, stretch out and socialize with each other. Sited on the headland of a new promenade, Freshwest had to consider the harsh marine environment while celebrating and enhancing the experience of visiting the seaside. Each bench encouraged a different interaction, providing a mix of playful, relaxing and contemplative spaces.
Public art, cast aluminum twin leaf gates for Museum Park, Swansea, UK.
Commissioned, as part of Swansea waterfront regeneration scheme, to design and deliver a piece of public art that draws connections between Swansea and its waterfront. The design of the gates evolved out of a community engagement event organised by Freshwest on Swansea beach. During this ‘beach day’ event Freshwest invited the public to draw and make marks and moulds in the sand that were captured in plaster-of-Paris. The casting of these marks and other found objects on the beach make up the mirrored pattern in the gates that were cast in aluminum at a sculpture foundry in North Wales.
Design and make a set of bespoke external furniture for the new West Dorset District Council offices in Dorchester, Dorset.
The brief was to produce a functional artwork that respects and refers to the Roman heritage of the town and the site itself. Archaeologists were commissioned to survey the area before any building work could commence, and the new building has been alligned parallel to the old Roman city wall which is underground nearby. Freshwest met with Dorset County Council archaeologist Steve Wallis and visited Dorchester Museum as part of their initial research.
Freshwest proposed to make two substantial seats and a table in scorched oak, to be sited outside the main entrance to the new Council building. The forms of the furniture are derived from Roman black burnished pottery vessels found in Dorchester, and now on display in Dorchester Museum. Black burnished pottery has been found in Dorchester in quantities and it is thought that it was made in Dorchester for sale to the Roman army. The oak furniture was routed in layers to give the effect of pots turned on a wheel.
The artists worked with writer and historian Eugene Byrne to develop text relating to everyday life in Durnovaria (Roman Dorchester). The text is engraved into stainless steel rings embedded into the tops of the seating and table.
Foot Bridge for Torbay Council through Gingko Projects.
Freshwest were appointed to design and build a new footbridge to cross the water meadows in the grounds of the historical Cockington Court in Torquay next to the old gatehouse. The commission was part of an overall project which aims to promote more sustainable access to Cockington Court and enhance the site’s legibility. The use of British oak within the bridge design ensures that it is in keeping with its immediate natural and lush surroundings. The sinuous bend of the bridge echoes the natural curves and movement of the stream that flows beneath it.
Concept blanket for luxury travel brand Louis Vuitton.
Nominated for an ‘International Restaurant and Bar Design Award 2010’. Voted by The Sunday Times;‘most likely to succeed brand in 2009.’
Identity and interior for UK frozen yogurt outlet.
Lick was a new business with a small budget that had big ideas – to introduce frozen yogurt to a relatively new British market in an exciting yet familiar way. The interior needed to be scalable and instantly recognisable. Freshwest had to create an efficient environment in a small space articulating the fresh, healthy nature of frozen yogurt as a fast food product. As part of their design strategy Freshwest identified and developed three key bespoke elements to the interior. A coloured glass counter, picnic-bench seating and lamp shades all act as the key features to be replicated and become signifiers of the Lick brand. The minimal aesthetic and clean lines identify Lick as a fast food outlet, while the combination of colour, glass and wood gives a sense of the fresh, natural qualities of frozen yogurt. A new approach to an established model.
Identity by Joby Barnard.
Seating for Oriel-Myrddin Gallery UK.
The seating was constructed of Welsh oak locally sourced to the gallery. In order to gain stability in such a slender form, an internal metal frame had to be engineered and then concealed within the oak.