Residents get first glimpse of artwork inspired by health and wellbeing at Derby housing development

Residents at Tilia Homes Central’s Manor Kingsway development, on Kingsway Boulevard, had the first opportunity to view draft designs for the series of proposed sculptures set to be installed across the 700-home development.

Artists, Denis O’Connor and Bernardine Rutter coordinated the two-day consultation event to view and discuss draft designs with residents and to respond to feedback, in terms of formalising the final designs for the proposed artworks.

The artworks, which are centred around wellbeing and the importance of biodiversity, horticulture, make specific reference to wildflowers and plants associated with healing properties, to fruits, vegetables and culinary herbs that will grow at the Manor Kingsway allotments.

The residents and local community were given the opportunity to explore and discuss the drafts and invited to provide their own suggestions for what could be included in the public art commission.

Denis O’Connor, Sculptor, comments: “Our aim for the project is to create artworks through co-curation, which will visually enhance the landscape design of Manor Kingsway’s boulevards, avenues and public open spaces, leaving a cultural legacy for all residents who live on the development.

“We intend to create pieces that will not only serve as decorative but also informative and have very much enjoyed the opportunity to share the designs with the people who will get to enjoy them the most – the residents. The consultation sessions serve as such an important milestone in the creative process informing residents of the designs and gaining feedback through thoughtful discussion.”

The sculptures will be installed in keeping with the plans for the development and have been earmarked in public open space locations, while serving as navigation points across the expansive housing development.

Now that the plans have been shared and residents have had the opportunity to share their thoughts and suggestions, the final sketches will be designed and the pieces will be commissioned in early 2023, before being installed over the coming months and years at the development.

Lizzie Burda, Sales and Marketing Director for Tilia Homes Central, adds: “This project has been such an exciting process to be a part of and it’s wonderful to start to see the sketches and design elements all come to fruition. Denis and his team are extremely talented and we’ve no doubt the current and future residents at Manor Kingsway will be enjoying the pieces for many years to come.

“We’ll be keeping the community informed as to when the first pieces are installed and look forward to the added creative flare the sculptures will bring to our already bustling development here at Manor Kingsway.”

View our available homes at Manor Kingsway or to arrange an appointment with the sales team call 01604 273 569.