The Happenstance Archway

To create a site-specific piece of public art.

The project brief was a National Design competition run by Brighton Hove City Council and Kings Education. The competition was organised to commission an attractive archway suitable for pedestrian access to the south end of The Level Park.

The Happenstance (which means a chance meeting or event) is made from mirrored stainless steel and reflects its surroundings and the people passing by.
But look more closely and you’ll see names and faces of historical figures that have importance to The Level and Brighton and Hove emerging from the metal perforations. The images were chosen following widespread consultation with park users.

The solution was to design and build an original and site-specific sculpture that communicates to the community of Brighton through a reflective sculptural archway shelter. The structure has been designed to embed the vast amount of history and memories collected of Brighton’s Level Park over the past 300 years into a beautiful piece of interactive art that becomes a multi-faceted narrative. The characteristic trees that surround the park and the entrance provide shade and an intimate dappled atmosphere. Their presence deeply informed the design of our proposal, the ‘Happenstance Archway’. The idea of reflecting the shape of the overhanging trees at the entrance is that of an organic archway growing out from the existing elements of the park.

The project incorporates sustainability through the material choice, polished stainless steel. The sustainable nature of this project; firstly the weather – a material that can stand up to the saline sea air conditions, secondly a durable public material that stands up to gratify and other public damage, and finally low maintenance self reliant structure.