National Trust, Hafod y Bwch Woodland

We were commissioned to work alongside Hanan Issa, the National Poet of Wales, to design a public artwork using her words within a newly established National Trust site – a commemorative woodland serving as a site of reflection for the lives lost to COVID-19.

Responding to the poem, as well as the rich history of brick production and the distinctive colour of the clay close to the site, we designed a series of stamped bricks to be embedded into the soil running alongside the path for visitors to read and discover on their walks around the woodland. The character set included custom Welsh ligatures that we designed in conversation with Welsh speakers, so that the monospaced flow of the poem worked for both the English and Wesh translations of the poem.

We were faced with the challenge of designing a piece that was not only meant to have longevity, but also would be exposed to the elements. This led us to not use clay but instead mimic the traditional brick-making process using pigmented concrete. We worked closely with local producers to ensure the colour and texture of the concrete bricks felt matched to that of those produced historically in the area.

By grounding the piece in the history and materiality of the location,
we ensured it will not look out of place but rather become embedded in the fabric of the existing environment. The design leaves space
for inevitable change, embracing and celebrating nature as it evolves around it. We like the idea that eventually our piece will mirror and become one with the fragments of the former brickworks still visible on site.