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Bath Spa students to bring art-itecture to local community

Thursday, 20 October, 2016

Bath Spa University’s School of Art and Design has partnered with European manufacturers of high quality wood flooring, Hakwood, to design, create and install a one-off interactive public installation in five days.

The challenge, which will be undertaken by 20 Bath Spa University students studying Three Dimensional Design: Idea Material Object, will see 5 tonnes of birch ply upcycled to create a temporary structure for the local public to interact and engage with.

Using the workshop facilities at Bath Spa’s School of Art and Design, the students will explore the form, structure, material and process of design development and construction, in collaboration with London-based design practice, Simon Jones Studio.

The structure will be installed outside the university’s new campus, located along the river Avon on Locksbrook Road, and will be entitled ‘Haktion Factory’. The project began on 17 October and will culminate in a free launch event and 24-hour public exhibition on 21 October.

Julia Keyte, Course Leader, BA Hons Three Dimensional Design: Idea Material Object, said: “This project will see the students work collaboratively to explore the material quality and potential of the upcycled wood in an intensive period of design development and construction. Our aim is that this challenge not only brings our course community together but that it further connects us all with our local community too. Collaboration and community are really important to us at Bath Spa University and this project gives us the opportunity to work with some brilliant organisations, as well as share our students’ creativity with the local public.”

The wood was gifted by project sponsors Hakwood and was originally used in the Hakfolly installation at Clerkenwell Design Week 2016.