Press release
October 25th 2006
Two graduates of the University of Salford have been selected to design key pieces of art for Abito’s residential schemes in Greengate and Salford Quays, winning their first private commissions.
Manchester based developers Abito offered 3rd year and MA students from the School of Art and Design the chance to create a piece that would capture the ethos behind the Abito scheme – the first time a developer has worked with the university to offer this opportunity.
Abito Managing Director Les Lang and his team chose sculptures designed by Deborah Pollard, a graduate in Visual Arts, and Craig Need, who has just completed an MA in Fine Art, from more than 30 students.
Deborah, age 21, from Urmston, has designed a sculpture which consists of two 6m x 2m large triangular fabric structures in Abito’s signature orange colour, which will be stretched and suspended to create a marquee-like appearance, in keeping with the design of the building’s roof.
The material will be interlinking and flowing, to create flashes of colour, and people passing underneath the structures will be able to see the centre of the material, drawing their attention to the roof detail and vast area of the reception hall.
The two structures cross each other and are hung in opposite directions, representing the Greengate scheme’s position linking the two cities of Salford and Manchester.
The piece will sit within the private courtyard of the Abito development, aimed at the young professionals market and which consists of 256 multi-functional apartments, dubbed ‘intelligent living spaces’ because of their clever use of space and design – within an eight-storey building.
She said: “I based the design of the sculpture on Abito’s key concepts including the elimination of dead space, the fast pace of urban life and the apartment layout. Residents and visitors to the scheme will be able to pass under the structures and look up to the roof of the building.”
Deborah, whose areas of focus at University were sculpture, fashion, illustration, film and photography, will also be leading an exhibition at The Hatworks Gallery in
Stockport with the Aim Higher Arts Road Show later this year.
“I am delighted to have won my first commission and will be pleased when the scheme is completed in February and my piece will be installed,” she added.
Craig Need, from Milnrow, Rochdale also impressed the developers with his amphitheatre-style idea for Greengate so much so, that they have already commissioned him to design a piece to be installed at the future Abito scheme at Salford Quays.
Craig, who graduated from the University of Salford in 2002 with a 1st class degree, is no stranger to seeing his work exhibited throughout the North West – the most recent being commissioned by Tameside Partnerships and shown at Ashton-under-Lyne’s Central Art Gallery this summer.
He said: “Working on such a unique project has helped shape and realise my latest work and as a result the Abito work has contributed to my final assessment.”
Craig will design a piece to be installed at Abito’s Salford Quays when work on the 290 multi-functional apartments completes on the Clippers Quay site in Spring 2008.
Les Lang, Managing Director of Abito said: ”The philosophy behind Abito is to give young people and professionals a helping hand onto the property ladder and commissioning these pieces fits in with the ethos of Abito helping people at the start of their careers.
“We were really impressed with the quality and imagination of the designs from all the students but these pieces by Deborah and Craig stood out. They highlighted the understanding of the Abito design and concept and we have no doubt they will be a stunning addition to both our schemes.”
Paul Haywood, Director of under-graduate Studies, Art and Graphics at the University of Salford said: “Working with a company like Abito has given real opportunities to our students. The approach to the commission is very fresh and has given us lots of room for invention and originality. This is just the sort of partnership that the University of Salford is looking for and a real benefit to our graduates."
Abito + apartments are still available for sale through Knight Frank on 0161 838 7744.
ENDS
Photographs of Deborah Pollard and Craig Need with their sculpture design ideas are available on request.
For further information please contact Caty Cartwright at SKV PR on 0161 236 9909 or e-mail caty.cartwright@skvpr.co.uk