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The main objectives of the residency, were to:

1.  Look for a location for a 'sensory' sculpture with Council & Groundwork

2.  Aim to make an area of the park accessible to visually impaired members of the local community.

3.  Create a series of 'sensory' sculptures

4.  Draw up a proposal for a bigger project

Investigation:

Walking round the park, identifying areas that are suitable for the placement of sculpture

Discussion with Council, Schools and local community groups

Development of ideas:

• Looking at the local flora/fauna   

• Producing drawings, small sculptures

• Talking to local visual impairment groups

Production of sensory sculptures:

The main part of the residency would consist of the making of a series of 'sensory' sculptures, both individually and collectively with the local schools/communities.

A proposal for a 'Sensory Trail' came from the above working process. This proposal will be submitted to the council for possible approval and implementation.

‘Sensory Residency’ was commissioned by Groundwork Caerphilly:

Design Proposal for 'Sensory Trail', Parc Penallta, Ystrad Mynach, Gwent, South Wales.

My aim is to create an area of the park that is accessible to all sectors of the community – particularly the disabled, visually impaired and elderly, who might have previously felt excluded from the park, due to access problems and lack of incentive. Special needs groups do not currently use the park as access to the park is difficult for their vehicles and access within the park is impossible for wheelchair users – both in terms of surface and gradient.  Also, there are no focal points/sculptures within the park that would attract, and appeal to, these particular groups.

By creating a defined and enclosed area within the park, close to the main car park, with a series of ‘sensory’ sculptures linked by a path, I would aim to encourage visitors who are unfamiliar with the park.  By interacting with the sculptures and the associated hard and soft landscaping, they would be encouraged to interpret their environment through the use of all their senses, and find their way round the trail.

 Range of uses:

 Stimulating:

• Education - By introducing an educational aspect into the trail, it would encourage all schools, both special needs and mainstream, to include visits to the park in their school curriculum. This could be achieved by using interpretation that is tailored to the schools needs e.g. Universal symbols, Markers, Maps/Leaflets, Worksheets

• Orientation skills

 Passive:

• Recreation
• Quiet
• Relaxing
• Calming

The proposed site is an area of the park that is currently not being utilised.  By choosing it, it is possible to utilise existing features:

• Good access – close to car park
• Existing paths
• Seating / Picnic areas
• Existing landscape features – trees, meadow, marsh/wetland

 Sculpture

 The sculptures would work on several levels:

• As ‘sensory experiences’ in their own right.                                                         

• As orientation markers on the trail.

• Focal points - drawing/inviting people to move round, and complete, the trail.

The designs for the sculptures have been partly developed through workshops with Glyn-gaer Primary School , and consultation with Trinity Fields School. 

All the sculptures use elements of the park, as it is today, as their subject matter, combined with sensory elements.  However, they are not to be seen as purely ‘sensory’ sculptures, but sculptures that are accessible on all levels - visual as well as sensory. They are designed to interact with their environment.

 Materials:

All the sculptures would be constructed from 3mm mild steel plate, (plus stainless steel pipes for sculpture B).  The whole of the sculptures would be painted, or acid treated, to prevent them rusting, with a top coat of a resin based varnish that would act as an anti-graffiti layer.  No maintenance would be required for five years (guaranteed life of paint).

 Installation:

The sculptures would be welded to steel cages for easy installation on site. The cages would then be filled with concrete, to make the sculptures stable.

  Sculpture A – ‘Grass Head’

 Sensory Experiences:

Existing Landscape and Proposed Planting:

 Meadow

• Movement, Sound, Smell & Touch of wild grasses.

 Inspiration:

 The material used is mild steel, and the overall shape of the sculpture is based on a plant form found in the park.  The colours used – yellow, purple, are earth pigments and come from observation of plants in the park.

Yellow is the last colour that visually impaired people can see.  This is contrasted with the dark base colour.  There is also contrast between the smooth top and the textural shapes of the base.  Some of the shapes are also mounted on springs to bring motion/ movement into the sculpture.

Sculpture B - Flower

Sensory Experiences:

Existing Landscape and Proposed Planting:

 Mature and sapling trees

• Shape, Movement, Pattern, Touch – Rough/Smooth, of trees.

Inspiration:

The overall shape of the sculpture is based on flowers found in the park.  The background colour used – pink/purple, is an earth pigment and comes from observation of plants in the park. Otherwise, there is no added colour, the sculpture relies on the natural colours of the materials  – silver, brown, black.

The materials used are mild steel, stainless steel, and fir cones.  The stainless steel tubes form a circular pattern.  There is contrast between the smooth steel and the textural fir cones. 

 Sculpture C - Seed Pod

 Sensory Experiences:

 Existing Landscape and Proposed Planting:

 Marsh/Wetland:

• Colour, Shape, Smell of flowers, berries

 Inspiration:

The material used is mild steel, and the overall shape of the sculpture is based on a seed pod found in the park.  The colours used – green, purple, are earth pigments and come from observation of plants in the park.

The colours are designed to be strong and contrasting. The strong, bold shape of the sculpture is deliberately kept simple, as the shapes of the other two sculptures are quite complex.  The scale of the sculpture is such that the interior would be large enough for children to crawl through.

 Trail

The path enclosing the area should be designed to be accessible to people with limited mobility, including wheelchair users and those with sensory impairments.

The width would be 1.2m to accommodate one wheelchair plus pedestrian alongside.

The path would be constructed from materials that are native to the park – wood, stone.  A ‘Sound Fence’ would run alongside one side of the path, providing orientation through vibration and touch, as well as sound.

 The path would not purely be for direct access.  By introducing changes in width, shape, texture and direction, orientation skills can be developed helping people to recognize areas of the park through stimuli other than sight.

The path would enclose the area, and connect the sculptures.  It would also connect with other sensory experiences along the trail, as well as being a sensory experience itself.

 Sensory Experiences:

 Existing Landscape and Proposed Planting:

 Meadow

• Movement, Sound, Smell & Touch - wild grasses.

 Marsh / Wetland

• Colour, Shape, Pattern – flowers, berries, leaves

 Woodland

• Sound, Movement, Smell - trees
• Touch, Pattern, Shape, Colour – leaves, fruit