Moongate Arises

 

Allison Armour, pictured by art piece, says her "Moongate" sculpture in Frimley4 Business Park was designed to be interactive. The park is about 30 miles southwest of London in West Surrey. Photos: Cath Cookson

Sculptor Allison Armour revealed her latest artwork, "Moongate," at Frimley4 Business Park in Surrey, England on March 25, 2013. The five-meter diameter sculpture of polished, marine grey stainless steel is part of Investream's extensive multi-million pound redevelopment and landscaping plans for the 13.4-acre park.

"A Moongate is a traditional architectural element in Chinese gardens, usually a circular opening that pedestrians can pass through," explains Armour. Her Moongate, of course, is a shiny, contemporary exposition on the traditional form. "We really hope the park's tenants and visitors will walk through it, clang it and sit in it. It is designed to be truly interactive," she added.

Allison Armour was born in Paris, but raised in New York City, where she attended the Parsons School of Design, before coming to London to study at the Architectural Association. During her London studies she developed her interest in gardens, outdoor sculptures and water elements. Her first piece, Aquasphere, was a water filled acrylic globe shimmering in the middle of a water-filled circular dish. In 2000 she designed her first award-winning garden at the Chelsea Flower Show. Her sculpture collection and international commissions have continued to grow ever since.

After acquiring Frimley4 Business Park in 2011, Investream appointed Landscape Perspective Limited www.landscapeperspective.co.uk, a registered Landscape Institute multidisciplinary design practice in Surrey, to enhance the central amenity space at the heart of the scheme, visible from the main access road and adjacent to the River Blackwater. The London-based Landscape Institute www.landscapeinstitute.org is the Royal Chartered body for landscape architects in the U.K.

Investream has added lighting, contemporary colored light stacks, to the site, along with semi-mature hornbeam trees. The newly planted river edge is a habitat for wildlife; bulb planting will add seasonal color and interest. The riverside walk has been remodeled and resurfaced.