cancer research, uk
award: gold medal
international gold award in the american apld specialist category
size: 230m2
photography: helen fickling
At the time CRUK were running a campaign entitled ‘Together we will beat cancer’ and I used the word ‘Together’ for inspiration. I designed a piece of sculpture made from three 30 metre lengths of steam bent oak which are entwined together and link all the elements of the garden together. I am a student of contemporary Japanese architecture which informed my pavilion design (I am a frustrated architect as well as sculptor) and it seemed appropriate to commission Japanese artist Mari-Ruth Oda to produce the ceramic triptych on the wall which represent rock pools.
Along the side of the garden weathered copper louvers cast interesting shadows and change constantly as they are viewed from different angles. The sunken seating area has sculptural benches of stacked stone and broad steps which can accommodate a sizeable group of people without the need for free standing furniture – a concept which I frequently repeat in different guises in ‘real’ gardens.
