RCKa has completed Acoustitch, a bespoke artwork in the foyer of 11 Waterloo Place in St James’s, London.
Acoustitch is one of two winning designs in the Ground Floor Project competition organised by The Crown Estate in partnership with The Architecture Foundation to commission designs for the foyer of two of its buildings in St James’s.
Briefed to create an engaging artwork that celebrates the unique history of St James’s, RCKa drew inspiration from the rich craft-based heritage of the area, renowned for bespoke mens’ tailoring and grooming.
Installed behind the reception desk, Acoustitch provides a focal point for the foyer space whilst making a virtue of spatial and acoustic constraints. The foyer’s white marble floor and plaster walls provide a clean contemporary backdrop for the work. Inspired to introduce acoustic comfort into this space, RCKa looked to anechoic sound chambers, choosing to use high-density acoustic foam as the core material for the artwork to soften the acoustics, creating a more welcoming entrance for workers and visitors.
RCKa worked with East London based company Cutfoam to devise a high-quality and cost effective way to fabricate the artwork, which is constructed from 789 pieces of high-density acoustic foam cut into triangular forms. The foam pieces are adhered to birch-faced ply backing sheets that fit together jigsaw like for ease of transportation and installation, and wall mounted using simple split battens.
Taking a cue from traditional woven fabric swatches, the triangular forms are grouped and rotated to form a homogenic texture and pattern for maximum visual effect. Acoustitch transforms as visitors move through the foyer to reveal interwoven patterns that evoke St James’s history of textiles and tailoring.
The high-density acoustic foam, which is supplied in standard grey, has been custom dyed navy blue giving the artwork its base colour. Sky blue, white and pink are utilised for opposing faces treated with a factory applied solid colour coating system, ensuring a bold and impactful finish. A final flourish referencing the ornate gold latticework of the lift enclosure in the foyer is added by the sparing use of polished Tecu© gold copper sheet, which adds a decorative foil to the deep matt finish of the coloured foam.
RCKa has utilised high-density foam in an inventive way, crafting a dynamic woven artwork from low-tech materials. The result is an arresting artwork which references St James’s heritage and creates a memorable experience for workers and visitors arriving at 11 Waterloo Place.
