Fleming Square

NAME : Fleming Square   DATE : 2003   CLIENT : Blackburn Council   LOCATION : Blackburn  PARTNERS : Leander Foundry, Julia Copus (poet)

Aim

Working in consultation with the City Council, Capita Symonds and a local coffee shop owner, who is now contracted to maintain the site, a design evolved that linked the four existing plane trees, with a series of spiraling bronze seats and tree grilles. This small neglected area has been transformed into a charming public space for Blackburn Town Centre.

Concept

The design is influenced by the history of the area and the use of repeated victorian pattern found in castings and fabrics. Cast in the top face of the seats is a poem entitled ‘Possibility’ by the celebrated poet Julia Copus.

The artwork is fully integrated into the whole landscape scheme and includes decorative railings. The fish railings are formed out of steel, and include repeated bronze and glass fish, in recognition to the old market and the original fish stones in Fleming Square. Set along the adjoining King Street are a series of bronze markers. The 4m high markers take the form of a chess piece and include coloured glass inserts.