wills shortlisted
The Landmark Wales open competition had a staggering 87 entrants - both domestic and international design teams - and from that field Richard Wills has been short listed to the final 4.
Landmark Wales is a public art project of huge scale and ambition - their aim is to celebrate the nation at important entrances and exits in Wales.
The project is funded by the Big Lottery Fund ‘Living Landmarks’ programme, and they aim to inspire renewed pride in Welsh cultural identity and nationhood. This pride will be symbolised by wonderful and dramatic public art projects across the country.
Landmark Wales want these projects to become some of the ‘must see’ wonders of our generation. They want them to be a source of pride in our homeland, to reinforce our growing reputation and to generate recognition and respect across the world.
In addition to the ‘flagship’ sites, Landmark Wales has identified four more national and regional gateways.
The national entry points are at Monmouth and Chirk near Wrexham, while Brynglas and Dowlais signal transition points between the M4 corridor entering the metropolitan south and between the industrial heartland and unspoilt beauty of the Brecon Beacons
For these gateways, Landmark Wales hosted an open competition to allow a broader opportunity for creative minds to contribute to this ambitious national programme. Unlike phase one, the opportunity was open to professionals and non-professionals. The potential budget for each of these phase two sites is £800,000-£1,000,000.
Richard Wills teamed with architect Robert Daw to develop a submission for the Monmouth location.
The approach to the Welsh border on the A40 at Monmouth is dramatic but the distinction between Wales and England is not articulated.
Whilst the stunning vista of the Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty opens up before the visitor, there is little sense of entering a different country or culture.
As the main infrastructure connection between Wales and the Midlands of England. Over 30,000 vehicles travel through the site every day from the M5/M50 in the north via the A40/A449 to the M4 corridor and South East Wales The A40 serves the dual purpose of a main haulage route between England and Wales and a key tourist route to the Wye Valley and wider region.
The strategic location and the stunning backdrop of the immediate natural landscape dictates an ambitious definition of site with the intent of providing the broadest possible consideration of site and form.
It is in this context that the landmark will provide a uniquely identifiable and iconic ‘emblem’ that will signify entrance to the country of Wales, interpreting its cultural definitions and site sensitivities, whilst encapsulating its reputation for quality, excellence and innovation.
For more detail of the short listed entry go to:
www.landmarkwales.org/english/content.php?nID=59
Below are visualisations included as part of the competition submission.
