Happenstance Archway

Happenstance Archway

Alter & Company

Laser Cut Mirror Polished Stainless Steel Archway

Project Type
Public Realm
Location
The Level, Brighton
Year
2017
Partners
Alter & Company
Brighton & Hove Council
Photography
Glasshopper
Happenstance Archway

millimetre worked with Brighton and Hove Council and architects Alter & Company to create a three-dimensional tessellated entrance into a Brighton public park. The archway is inspired by the light, shapes and qualities of the overhanging elm trees that surround the park. As visitors look closely, names and faces of 90 local historic characters reveal themselves inside the metal perforations. The pattern of these perforations reference skeletal leaves during the autumn months.

millimetre made the archway out of 316 pieces of marine-grade stainless steel, which was laser cut, mirror polished, and then fine orbital sanded. We laser cut perforated names and imagery of historical figures into some of the panels. These panels were then back welded onto stainless steel ribs to form a facetted archway that echoes the canopy of the trees above.