The Rivers is a 1960’s housing estate in Castleford, West Yorkshire. The commission for sculptures, stone carvings and letter cutting included work sited throughout the estate. The work is designed around the theme of seed pods, symbolising regeneration.
At either entrance to the estate is a large abstract sculpture designed on the uncurling shoots of a fern. Carved from Hill House Edge Sandstone, the sculptures stand 1.8m tall.
There are ten streets within the estate and each street has its own seed pod design. The designs are used on a hierarchy of signage from street name markers, to bollards, shot-blast paving and individually carved v-cut house numbers. This helps with navigation around the unusual street layout and gives a sense of identity and cohesion to the estate.
Initial ‘conker’ sketches for Calder Close, and the carving in production at the quarry.
Patrick Walls 