ONE PORTWALL SQUARE
Artist: Nick Hand and The Letterpress Collective
Architects: AHMM
Client: Nord Property
Artist Nick Hand was commissioned by Nord Property to develop designs for integrated works of art within the building at One Portwall Square, and to devise an accompanying community event programme. Nick Hand is the founder of The Department of Small Works which has its own printshop, The Letterpress Collective,
Nick found inspiration from local ironwork around the location of the site incorporating letter forms and iconography into the architecture of the development. The gates and the side shutters were made with local companies Wards of Bristol and Trico (for the enamelling). The main public artwork is on the cycle gate entrance to the building.
Community Events
The opening weekend of One Portwall Square’s publicly-accessible square saw a celebration the act of printing and its heritage on the site. A day of printing related events took place including Nick Hand demonstrating his own “printing bike” and opportunities for people to learn about the heritage of the area and to try out printing processes themselves. A small bicycle fair included a free bicycle repair workshop by Bristol Bike Project, a bike-powered apple juicer, and a bicycle swap-shop for families.
