https://sum.place Sum.Place Fri, 27 Feb 2026 07:19:26 +0000 https://sum.place en https://sum.place/North-Tyneside-Council-1 Fri, 26 May 2023 15:32:05 +0000 Sum.Place https://sum.place/North-Tyneside-Council-1 everysecondofeveryminuteofeveryhourofeverydayof, North Tyneside Commissioned as part of North Tyneside Council’s regeneration strategy, we developed and delivered a coordinated suite of three permanent public artworks integrated across the new transport hub and reimagined town square. The works respond to North Shields’ maritime and industrial heritage while embedding sustainability, community authorship, and material innovation. A 6m diameter suspended sculpture formed from over 2,000 hand-pressed fish, each made from locally donated recycled plastic supplied by CJM Recycling and Impact Recycling. The geometry of the individual elements was drawn from the roof grid of the new transport hub, designed by Napper Architects and constructed by Willmott Dixon, aligning the work with the building's Net Zero principles. The sculpture weighs 250kg. According to UNESCO, the lower end of the amount of plastic waste estimated to enter the ocean every second. The title, everysecondofeveryminuteofeveryhourofeverydayof, is written lowercase and as a single word to convey the breathlessness and continuous nature of plastic pollution. Civic Regeneration Transport Infrastructure Public Realm <img width="3024" height="4032" width_o="3024" height_o="4032" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/718a3d667eb6307b5584e0f01d53636f222843b1c334691577dd0478b5d7116b/IMG_9183.JPG" data-mid="198242973" border="0" data-scale="80" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/718a3d667eb6307b5584e0f01d53636f222843b1c334691577dd0478b5d7116b/IMG_9183.JPG" /> https://sum.place/North-Tyneside-Council-2 Thu, 26 Feb 2026 20:05:18 +0000 Sum.Place https://sum.place/North-Tyneside-Council-2 Not Knot 1 + 2, North Tyneside Two 40cm³ sculptural forms referencing the monkey's fist - a maritime knot historically used to weigh down rope when boats shared supplies or anchored to shore. Carved from white Carrara Marble and Kilkenny Black Fossil Granite using 5-axis CNC machining and expert hand finishing by Stone Circle, the pieces were installed on raised concrete plinths in the reimagined town square. Civic RegenerationTransport InfrastructurePublic Realm <img width="1080" height="1350" width_o="1080" height_o="1350" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/c41161490bae49531cbf0299d97aee3d8d8671593a8661dbd05e35cb62ce6e6f/2.png" data-mid="245357482" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/c41161490bae49531cbf0299d97aee3d8d8671593a8661dbd05e35cb62ce6e6f/2.png" /> https://sum.place/Test-Valley-Borough-Council Fri, 06 Jun 2025 13:39:55 +0000 Sum.Place https://sum.place/Test-Valley-Borough-Council Bronze New Age, Andover Commissioned by Test Valley Borough Council, Picket Twenty is a permanent heritage interpretation scheme embedded within a new housing development in Andover. The project responds to the presence of significant prehistoric burial remains beneath the site, translating archaeological research into a contemporary public space. Through consultation with local archaeologists and targeted community engagement, we explored how ancient burial grounds once acted as markers of connection, territory, and belonging. This historical relationship to land informed both the concept and spatial design of the work. The resulting intervention is a sculpted landform amphitheatre - a 2m high crescent-shaped earthwork designed as a place for gathering, pause, and reflection. From above, the form encloses a series of concentric circles, each defined through material contrast and craft: &nbsp; &nbsp; - A cylindrical clay brick floor&nbsp; &nbsp; - A bespoke circular oak bench, locally sourced&nbsp; &nbsp; - A mosaic inlay referencing Bronze Age decorative traditions&nbsp; &nbsp; - A central granite totem table, precision-crafted The granite totem is engraved with a site map marking the exact positioning of the prehistoric burial grounds beneath the development, making invisible histories visible within the everyday landscape. The external slope of the landform is planted as a meadow using site-appropriate species, strengthening ecological value and integrating the artwork into the surrounding nature reserve. Picket Twenty functions as both interpretation and infrastructure - a permanent civic space shaped by archaeology, landscape, and community dialogue. Heritage InterpretationPublic RealmLandscape Intervention <img width="2909" height="2010" width_o="2909" height_o="2010" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/d89a58d241a60e05df06a8d20d2d7dd879641a012c4025ba4173015bde4c46bc/IMG_8365.jpg" data-mid="245890157" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/d89a58d241a60e05df06a8d20d2d7dd879641a012c4025ba4173015bde4c46bc/IMG_8365.jpg" /> https://sum.place/North-Tyneside-Council-3 Fri, 27 Feb 2026 07:19:26 +0000 Sum.Place https://sum.place/North-Tyneside-Council-3 The North Ship, North Tyneside A 72m² carved wall installation integrating community voice directly into the fabric of the new transport hub. The graphic language follows the lines of synoptic weather maps historically used by fishermen to chart their course. The design was chosen by hundreds of local people through public consultation. The wind pattern is formed from Morse code, CNC cut into the wooden surface. When translated, it reads the final verse of The North Ship by Philip Larkin.&nbsp; Civic RegenerationTransport InfrastructurePublic Realm <img width="3024" height="4032" width_o="3024" height_o="4032" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/3cd82f748b2cbb1f25473880c1a3a7f163452a20769f7606ac1e90b709917538/IMG_9436.JPG" data-mid="245377309" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/3cd82f748b2cbb1f25473880c1a3a7f163452a20769f7606ac1e90b709917538/IMG_9436.JPG" /> https://sum.place/Cheshire-East-Council-1 Sat, 27 May 2023 15:35:13 +0000 Sum.Place https://sum.place/Cheshire-East-Council-1 Crewlette, Cheshire East Working in collaboration with urban design practice Gillespies, we developed and delivered a coordinated suite of public art interventions as part of the reimagining of Crewe town centre. The commission formed part of a wider public realm transformation, positioning art as an integrated layer within the new urban framework rather than an afterthought. The project includes: A large-scale painted floor intervention redefining pedestrian movement and gathering spaceSupergraphic applications across the covered market façadeA bold painted installation wrapping a new shipping container stage The design language was generated through extensive public consultation, with residents contributing ideas, references and visual motifs. The final concept draws on Crewe’s railway heritage - translating rail signalling, movement and industrial rhythm into a contemporary graphic system that animates the town centre. The interventions introduce colour, orientation and identity to the site, transforming it into a vibrant civic destination that supports events, markets and local enterprise. Completed in July 2023, the project demonstrates how strategic graphic interventions can activate underused public spaces while strengthening place identity and commercial vitality. Working Civic Regeneration Urban Realm Supergraphics <img width="1795" height="1350" width_o="1795" height_o="1350" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/c2efe1c6b232219ade8ee53b64c7fffd3180a860ce700fd68af077afcdb1bd87/IMG_6307-2.jpg" data-mid="192909365" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/c2efe1c6b232219ade8ee53b64c7fffd3180a860ce700fd68af077afcdb1bd87/IMG_6307-2.jpg" /> https://sum.place/Northumbria-Healthcare-NHS-Foundation Fri, 06 Jun 2025 12:23:34 +0000 Sum.Place https://sum.place/Northumbria-Healthcare-NHS-Foundation Berwick Community Hospital&nbsp; Commissioned by Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, a suspended sculpture has been developed for the atrium of Berwick’s new Community Hospital. Inspired by the ecological and cultural significance of the River Tweed, the work depicts a shoal of salmon swimming upstream - a metaphor for resilience, movement, and continuity. Each element has been hand-formed from recycled NHS waste plastic, embedding circular values within the material fabric of the piece. Hospital staff and members of the local community participated in a series of workshops, creating individual fish that inform the final composition of the sculpture. This collaborative process ensures the work reflects shared identity and local narrative. Designed to occupy the full vertical volume of the atrium, the installation introduces rhythm, softness, and a sense of natural flow within a clinical setting, supporting wellbeing for patients, staff, and visitors. Healthcare Suspended Sculpture Environmental Narrative <img width="1099" height="618" width_o="1099" height_o="618" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/0678a23488a5043dadbfb979a94032e184341f8f21ef27311420da60b058b2d9/Updated_external_render_Berwick_Hospital.png" data-mid="234251206" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/0678a23488a5043dadbfb979a94032e184341f8f21ef27311420da60b058b2d9/Updated_external_render_Berwick_Hospital.png" /> A visual representation of what the building will look like when it's finished.&nbsp; https://sum.place/Nottingham-University-Hospitals-NHS-Trust Mon, 11 Aug 2025 13:40:46 +0000 Sum.Place https://sum.place/Nottingham-University-Hospitals-NHS-Trust Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust  &nbsp; We have been commissioned to create a landmark suspended sculpture for the new National Rehabilitation Centre, opening in 2026. The work comprises over 2,000 recycled plastic oak leaves and more than 700 cast pewter acorns, suspended across 750 individual strands. Inspired by the Soar Valley landscape and the proverb “from little acorns, mighty oaks grow,” the work reflects themes of renewal, resilience, and growth - central to the Centre’s rehabilitative ethos. Each strand symbolises one of the patients supported annually by the Centre, embedding care and human scale within the architectural environment. Designed to introduce movement, light, and natural form into the healthcare setting, the work offers a moment of reflection and connection to landscape for patients, staff, and visitors. Healthcare Landmark Installation Sustainability <img width="2988" height="2988" width_o="2988" height_o="2988" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/da1da00ca67fb48873ac4b605801a81ddb0ee9d7e3848809d3c35d5c1b9f86f8/SumPlace_in_Atrium_.jpg" data-mid="236922992" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/da1da00ca67fb48873ac4b605801a81ddb0ee9d7e3848809d3c35d5c1b9f86f8/SumPlace_in_Atrium_.jpg" /> Miriam Duffy, NRC Director, with Colin and Nic from Sum Place.&nbsp; https://sum.place/Festival-of-Thrift Fri, 06 Oct 2023 12:32:20 +0000 Sum.Place https://sum.place/Festival-of-Thrift Festival of Thrift Haldane is a large-scale exterior artwork installed on the façade of the TWI Technology Centre in Middlesbrough, UK. The piece draws a direct line between the region’s industrial heritage and the urgent contemporary conversation around air quality. The work depicts two monumental canaries in flight - a reference to the sentinel species historically used in mining to detect toxic gases. The wings are overlaid with a dynamic pattern that creates a visual vibration, giving the illusion of perpetual motion. This optical movement reinforces the work’s central theme: air as an invisible but ever-present force. The mural was commissioned as part of VIEWPOINTS, a strand of the Festival of Thrift focused on raising awareness of environmental sustainability and clean air across the Tees Valley. Fabricated using a non-PVC architectural wrap film with low-emission certification, the work reflects the environmental values embedded within its concept - aligning material choice with message. Monumental Mural Environmental Narrative <img width="7507" height="5005" width_o="7507" height_o="5005" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/bf2460d46140c9bc3c568bcab4b7d655a6e762d1b70d54e1974853446f513311/ColinDavies_Haldane_Amend.jpg" data-mid="192915812" border="0" data-scale="76" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/bf2460d46140c9bc3c568bcab4b7d655a6e762d1b70d54e1974853446f513311/ColinDavies_Haldane_Amend.jpg" /> https://sum.place/Wyre-Forest-District-Council Fri, 06 Oct 2023 12:51:04 +0000 Sum.Place https://sum.place/Wyre-Forest-District-Council Flock, Wyre Forest Commissioned by Wyre Forest District Council, Flock is a bold public art intervention designed to transform an overlooked passageway in Kidderminster town centre. The work references the town’s rich textile heritage while introducing contemporary visual energy to the site. Drawing on dazzle camouflage patterns, the design weaves together two local narratives: the vibrant lorikeets of the nearby West Midlands Safari Park and the graphic textile designs of Lucienne Day, who had a longstanding association with the region. Applied across the passageway as a large-scale supergraphic installation, the piece introduces colour, movement, and legibility to a previously underused space - improving visibility and contributing to a safer, more welcoming pedestrian environment. Flock demonstrates how strategic graphic intervention can elevate everyday urban infrastructure while celebrating local identity. Urban Intervention Supergraphics Heritage Reference <img width="750" height="1124" width_o="750" height_o="1124" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/b91a87be16259992015c6116d5dd0dcc4eaf28ed7eed6e096b11097d0c4724d8/Colin-Davies_Flock_LtoR_Image--Mark-Roberts-Far-Forest-Studio.JPG" data-mid="192916729" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/750/i/b91a87be16259992015c6116d5dd0dcc4eaf28ed7eed6e096b11097d0c4724d8/Colin-Davies_Flock_LtoR_Image--Mark-Roberts-Far-Forest-Studio.JPG" /> https://sum.place/Newcastle-Homeless-Commission Sat, 27 May 2023 17:27:29 +0000 Sum.Place https://sum.place/Newcastle-Homeless-Commission Newcastle Homeless Commission From 2018 to 2022, we led the creative direction and delivery of Street Zero - a city-wide campaign working toward the goal that no one in Newcastle needs to sleep rough. Developed from inception to completion, the project combined strategic communications, audience segmentation, stakeholder consultation, and public engagement with live and digital campaign delivery. As part of the programme, we delivered a temporary meanwhile installation in an empty city-centre retail unit. The space became a visible pledge hub - celebrating individuals, organisations, and businesses committed to tackling homelessness, while activating an otherwise dormant site within the urban fabric. The intervention secured regional media coverage, increased public pledges, and strengthened cross-sector partnerships aligned to the campaign’s mission. This project demonstrates our ability to deliver agile, high-impact temporary work that activates space, shapes public conversation, and supports wider civic objectives. Meanwhile Intervention Civic Campaign Social Impact <img width="1966" height="1966" width_o="1966" height_o="1966" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/a2c8a982d4c38afeefb3b4c1f5fb25a79274f9c2b39d4171843ba19029a12881/IMG_3393.jpg" data-mid="180375330" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/a2c8a982d4c38afeefb3b4c1f5fb25a79274f9c2b39d4171843ba19029a12881/IMG_3393.jpg" />