Art that invites and energises

Our next-generation office building at One Centenary Way in Paradise, Birmingham, has recently seen a bespoke commissioned artwork installed that bridges the gap between the public realm and commercial space.

Local artist Betsy Bradley sought to provide a source of energy for all when providing an uplifting tailored piece at One Centenary Way. Six 4.5-metre-high voile fabric panels feature Betsy’s trademark painted gestures and provide a playful intervention for the reception space, with tenants and the public able to enjoy.

Francesca Ghavami-Milnes, Senior Interior Designer at Howells, worked closely with Betsy and the client, MEPC, to ensure the piece would complement the interior design and enhance the architecture for tenants, visitors and passers-by: “Art can transform a space so being able to work with local artist Betsy and commission a bespoke piece that would suit the scale of the building and respond to the security aspects of the brief was really exciting.

“As well as making a statement, Art can connect to the wider community and provide a different texture, colour and dimension to a space. It’s important, from our perspective, that the artwork is integrated into the wider context—in the same way we approach any of our projects. Working with Betsy and discovering her process, whilst also ensuring the artwork could be physically constructed in the space and work well alongside the rest of the existing interior materials palette, was so rewarding.”

Betsy explains: “I wanted it to be something translucent so that you could see through both sides, and it would be very interactive in that way, to divide the space, but not in too much of a heavy, solid way. I wanted it to be a real injection of energy and colour. I think having that contrast is just really exciting.”

Find out more about Betsy Bradley and the conception and creation of her piece ‘Dakini Ocean’ in our interview.