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 Case Study: Breaking Boundaries - the Ashford Ring Road Project

Design for pedestrian terraces by John Atkin, Ashford ring road project, Ashford, KentDesigns for bespoke tree grate surrounds in cast iron or cor-ten steel, by John Atkin, Ashford ring road project, Ashford, KentProposal design for roundabout by John Atkin, Ashford ring road project, Ashford, KentConcept designs for bespoke benches, wood and stone, by John Atkin, Ashford ring road project, Ashford, KentConcept drawing for 'Flume' by Simeon Nelson, Bank Street and Ashford Ring Road, Ashford, KentConcept feature lighting proposal for 'Solar Pergola' by Nayan Kulkarni with Paul Winton of Whitelaw Turkington Ashford Ring Road, Ashford, Kent'Lost O', found traffic signs, by Michael Pinsky, Ashford Ring Road, Ashford, Kent, summer 2007; photo credit Photogenic'Universal Synchronicity', paint, road, by Roadsworth, Ashford Ring Road, Ashford, Kent, summer 2007; photo credit Photogenic

Design Briefs

Briefing
The three artists initially appointed to the ring road received the same overall brief – “work collaboratively with the design teams engaged to develop detailed proposals for the transformation of Ashford’s ring road.”

The brief noted particular opportunities which the artists might want to explore, including:

  • Quality and character of spatial form, finish and experiences

  • Gateways

  • Landmarks

  • Public Spaces/Pocket parks

  • Street Furniture

  • Community Collaboration

  • Lighting

  • Temporary Events and Installations

The brief outlined the way that the design team process was set up – with Jacobs leading the IDT as Project Directors and “charged with ensuring each of the disciplines…has a fair opportunity to input their expertise and ideas…”

As an appendix to the brief, the artists were provided with the “Commandments of Collaboration” from a presentation by Gustafson, Lionni and Ritchie at the International Public Art Symposium 1990.

Nayan Kulkarni’s brief also contained specific reference to the scope of a lighting strategy and the possibilities for the role of light within a shared space scheme.

The aims and objectives of the Town Centre Public Realm Strategy were seen as important elements within Breaking Boundaries, and formed a key part of the artists’ briefs.

Download the Lead Artist's Design Brief as an Adobe Acrobat document, 127KB

Download the Detailed Design Agreement as an Adobe Acrobat document, 54KB

Download an aerial view of the ring road project, showing extent of phase 1 scheme, drawing credit Richard Carman, as an Adobe Acrobat document, 442KB

Download an early impression of a road junction as Shared Space in the ring road project, as an Adobe Acrobat document, 1,023KB

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