Work is to begin this month on a new art commission in Lockleaze, to design and build a pavilion for Gainsborough Green through a collaboration between local young people, artists, architects, designers and engineers.

The project is conceived and delivered by muf architecture /art and will give local young people who are not in education, training or employment shared authorship of the design and building of a pavilion structure at Gainsborough Green.

The idea for a pavilion grew from conversations with local people around Bristol City Council’s proposed improvement works to Gainsborough Square and green. The young people will be part of a design team, working with artists, architects, a structural engineer and a graphic designer. They will gain experience of team work, design and construction, and will understand what it takes to build something in the public realm, how the local community may want different things and how these aspirations have to be evaluated to inform the design of the pavilion. On completion of the project each young person will receive the highest Asdan credits (accreditation).

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Councillor Simon Cook, Assistant Mayor with responsibility for leisure and tourism said: "This project will form an exciting part of the overall plan for the re-development and regeneration of Gainsborough Square. It will create a focal meeting point and help generate a sense of achievement and ownership among the young people who were actively involved in its development.

"It is a further illustration of the contribution that public art, with the support of Bristol City Council, is making to the life of communities across the city."

The delivery of the project has four stages. The first stage is a design workshop at the Vench Play Site in Lockleaze to plan the design and construction of the temporary build. For the second stage the team will build a temporary structure at Gainsborough Square to explore the question "what does it take to create a host space as an invitation to someone you don’t yet know?" The build will use readily available materials including palettes and straw bales and will make a place for performing, play and debate. The third stage of the project will progress the pavilion design through workshops and presentations to the local community by the design team. The project will culminate with the actual build of the pavilion, led by local artist Anton Goldenstein, and the installation as part of the wider improvements to Gainsborough Square and green. The project will provide the local young people with a real outcome of their involvement on the design team which will stand as evidence of their newly acquired skills.

(CD/MH)