Vista Cultural Strategy
For UP Projects, Vista: A Sense of Place, Cultural Strategy
Year
2016-2018
Client
UP Projects
Berkeley Homes
Collaborator
Vivienne Reiss
Services
Cultural Strategy
Locations
Queenstown Road, Battersea, London
A Cultural Strategy for Berkeley Homes
UP Projects was commissioned by Berkeley Homes to prepare and implement a Cultural Strategy for the Vista development on Queenstown Road, Battersea, including an action plan and large scale integrated commission. Bridget Sawyers and Vivienne Reiss, as Associates at UP Projects developed the strategy and managed the first commission.
Vista development comprises two buildings arranged around a sunken garden. There are 452 residential units and 1,365 sqm of commercial space across 6 to 16 storeys. The design approach was to respond to the views across the Park, embracing them and incorporating soft landscape wherever possible.
Berkeley Homes recognised the opportunity to deliver an inspiring cultural programme, supporting the wider project vision and creating a unique identity and sense of place. The approach proposed within the Cultural Strategy was an integrated art programme where artists would work closely with the design team to embed culture at the heart of the project.
“Embedding good quality design and innovative public art commissioning throughout, these strategic plans offer important opportunities for individual schemes to maximise on their potential, and consider innovative public art commissioning, positive meanwhile uses of interim space pending development or demolition, to animate sites through construction.”
This Cultural Strategy sets out a programme that responds to the development and its context, contributing to the public art planned for this new district of London. A collection of site responsive artworks and projects will be commissioned with reference to the site’s history, environment and ecology, which will activate key public routes as well as connecting with the wider neighbourhood. Vista’s primary relationship is with the heritage listed Battersea Park and the art programme will contribute to visually extending the park into the scheme.
The art programme outlines temporary interventions during the construction process, permanent artworks, as well as creative engagement initiatives. Events and activities will animate the public realm throughout the project. Working in partnership with organisations in the borough and developing projects in dialogue with local communities will be central to the approach. The public realm will become a canvas for artists to respond creatively, telling the story of the development and site history to a range of audiences and connecting the Cultural Strategy to the wider public.
“The Vista development will embrace culture within the design principles celebrating the site and making connections to the wider area to create a unique identity and sense of place.”
The first commission delivered was an integrated site specific artwork for the facades of the buildings facing onto the park. This was developed by artist Nicky Hirst in collaboration with the architects Scott Brownrigg.
Nicky Hirst’s commission for the Vista façade, Platanus, references the London Plane trees in Battersea Park. The work takes inspiration from the tree’s bark pattern and the resulting fluid shapes also reference the water surface of the River Thames. The work was nominated for the AJ100 2017 Architectural Collaboration of the Year Award with Scott Brownrigg Architects.
See: https://www.nickyhirst.co.uk/nicky-hirst/vista-residential
For more information see:
www.upprojects.com/projects