alex chinneck unveils 25-meter-high spiraling sculpture in brighton, uk

‘a spring in your step’: alex chinneck launches latest artwork 

 

british artist alex chinneck unveils his most complex and ambitious sculpture to date. titled ‘a spring in your step’, the new site-specific artwork takes the form of a spiral staircase that springs apart in three directions across a building façade in circus street, the new neighborhood in brighton developed by regeneration specialist U+I.

 

made from galvanized steel and reaching 25 meters overhead, the surreal sculpture occupies the full height of a key architectural elevation at the heart of the square, creating a bold backdrop for this new event space. the artwork was conceived in direct response to the location and sought to contribute to an energetic and creative atmosphere.

all images © marc wilmot

 

 

from an ordinary staircase, to an extraordinary sculpture 

 

following the shape of an ordinary spiral staircase at its base, the structure suddenly uncoils as it rises upwards and outwards over circus street’s central courtyard. its three steel ribbons burst apart with energy, introducing movement into the volume above the square while animating the space below. this theatrical transition is characteristic of the artist’s work, which takes complex paths to playful results. 

 

‘a spring in your step took three years to complete, weighs four tonnes, is 25 meters tall, and follows a non-repeating, expanding, and contracting helical form – making it my most complex sculpture to date,’  shares alex chinneck.

reaching 25 meters overhead, the surreal sculpture occupies a building façade in the new circus street square

the installation springs energetically in three different directions

close-up shot of the top of the sculpture

introducing movement to the building volume

behind the scenes shot – the manufacturing of ‘a spring in your step’

close-up shot of the galvanized steel structure

 

 

 

project info: 

 

name: a spring in your step

location: circus street, brighton

artist: alex chinneck

contractor: millimetre

engineering: smith & wallwork 

photography: marc wilmot