Press release

Date: Tuesday 2^nd December 2008

Ambitious public art sculpture project completed in Hemel Hempstead

The dramatic Phoenix Gateway sculpture, celebrating the on-going regeneration of Hemel Hempstead and also symbolising the forthcoming Maylands Gateway Development was installed on site on Saturday 29^th November 2008. It is one of the largest and most ambitious pieces of public art in the South East and has an installation schedule, which will be completed on Wednesday 10^th December, ready for the final naming ceremony on Thursday 11^th December.

The stunning three arch sculpture has now been installed at its prime visual location - at the entrance to the town on the Breakspear roundabout, close to M1 Junction 8, from where it can be seen from miles around.

Cllr Andrew Williams, Leader of Dacorum Borough Council, said:  "It is befitting that on the third anniversary of Buncefield, the Phoenix Gateway rises from Maylands to celebrate Hemel Hempstead's resilience. The town has come a long way since the explosion, and the companies affected are back with a bigger presence than ever. This imposing sculpture symbolises our ambition for Maylands to be a number one location for business."

The Dacorum Arts Forum was briefed to submit several designs for a piece of commercial art to help attract inward investment to the business area. In all, four

designs were put forward and the final design (by Jose Zavala of Econovate) was chosen by the business community. The result is described as a clever blend of contemporary art, science and engineering which complements the environment and is built using modern construction materials and techniques.

Representing perfectly the many facets of the area’s business and skills bases the sculpture was designed to create the three dimensional, multi level concept, which takes on the form of an arched gateway.

The Phoenix Gateway sculpture spans 10 metres and has a combined weight of 40 tonnes. Its £350,000 cost has been funded by the East of England Development Agency (EEDA) supported by Dacorum Borough Council.

The objective of the EEDA funded grant has been to deliver a visible environmental improvement to Maylands Business Park, which will have a positive impact on the economy.

A mix of specially designed solar and electric lighting illuminates the sculpture, which sits on its engineered foundations and metal base, finished off with a decorative base made of Papercrete. Papercrete is a relatively new green building material - basically re-pulped paper fibre with portland cement or clay and/or other solid matter added for strength. The decision to specify this product further reinforces the area’s commitment to sustainability and celebrates Hemel Hempstead’s location as having the oldest paper mill in the UK.

Structural engineers for the project, Sir Robert McAlpine Design Group, have run the construction of the sculpture through a rigorous process of tests and load bearing calculations including tornado-strength wind testing and vehicle impact assessments.

An official launch and naming ceremony will be taking place on Thursday 11^th December between 3.45 pm and 6.00 pm. Councillor Mrs Carol Green - the elected Mayor of Dacorum, will head the event joined by Mr Jon Rollit who named the sculpture in a public competition last year. The lighting, built onto the sculpture will then be switched on by Mike Penning MP.

Guests will include representation from the East of England Development Agency who have been the main funders of the project and all parties who have contributed towards its successful completion. The event is timed to coincide with the third anniversary of the Buncefield explosion – officially resurecting the area in a creative and dynamic way.

Ends

For further information please contact Claire Lloyd or Francesca Revel-Chion at Silver Chair on 01442 400612. E-mail claire.lloyd@silverchair.co.uk or francesca.revel-chion@silverchair.co.uk

Note to editors:

Nearly three years after one of the largest peacetime explosions in history, Hemel Hempstead has unveiled the Phoenix Gateway Sculpture.

The explosion meant that thousands of employees and employers were forced out of the nearby Maylands Business Park – a thriving business facility housing some of the biggest blue chip names in the UK.

The Phoenix Gateway sculpture is key to announcing to the region that Hemel Hempstead is ready for business and is still leading the way in hi-tec business park facilities. It is once again attracting top names from around Europe.

Maylands Business Park is currently home to over 400 businesses – it has been delivering excellent commercial facilities for over 40 years and has the largest area of development space within 1hr of London.

Sculpture technical specification:

(1) 6m (small arc) length 6591 width 3709 height 900 weight 9 tonnes

(2) 8m (medium arc) length 8617 width 4892 height 1050 weight 13 tonnes

(3) 10m (large arc) length 10650 width 6110 height 1200 weight 18 tonnes

The total cost is in the region of £350,000.  This is broken down in to two main areas:
Actual Sculptures (raw materials, fabrication, installation, foundations, lighting, papercrete bases, paint, painter, repairs after install) around £220,000
Safety/logistics (Design, project set-up, safety audits/AIP, surveys, structural engineer, wind tunnel testing, transport, cranes, signage, roundabout clearance, welding certifier, premises, traffic management, traffic control) around £130,000.

Post installation (after 29^th November) schedule:

Monday 1^st December – installation of ducting system for fibres and power cabling

Monday 1^st – Thursday 4^th December – installation of LV cabling and lighting

Friday 5^th December – installation of solar panelling (weather permitting)

Monday 8^th – Tuesday 9^th December – final installation of bases and fibre optic lighting

Wednesday 10^th December – final testing of systems and lighting