KWMC: The Factory collaborated with Walter Jack Studio on an exciting public art project, which offered local makers and designers the opportunity to learn digital skills and develop their own product designs.
Participants were supported to:
– Learn 2D design skills
– Design and make products to be laser cut in brass
– Consider how to develop their product(s) into a business
– Have their designs featured on the outside of a new local building – Hengrove Energy Centre
The products are laser cut from 1mm or 1.5mm brass sheet, creating the ‘positive’ for participants to keep and start to sell or develop further into a marketable product. The remaining ‘negative’ material will form the cladding for the new building, whilst acting as a billboard advertisement for the products!
Together with Walter Jack Studio, KWMC: The Factory provided design and software training, manufacturing expertise and creative support through a hybrid approach, mixing digital and physical elements. Small-scale prototypes of the designs were created using The Factory’s laser cutter, and in spring 2021 participants received a batch of their final product laser cut in brass to showcase or sell.
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In Autumn 2021, the panels were installed onto the outside of the Energy Centre in Hengrove and a celebration event held with programme participants to visit the site as well as share the final brass products in person at The Factory. You can see these in our Instagram story here.
About Walter Jack Studio
Walter Jack set up the sculptural design studio 25 years ago and was joined by Paul Channing in 2000.
As makers of things (as well as ideas) they have a particular interest in transformation – forms that change shape in use and over time – and the creation of surprising places.
