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Pier & Ocean
'Pier
and Ocean' has been designed by artist David
Ward to symbolise the masts of sailing ships. Each mast has lights attached
to its top which flicker, creating the appearance of St Elmo's fire: the phosphorescent
effect caused by atmospheric conditions on ships at sea.
The lights are visible from the esplanade. As pedestrians walk along it these
lights appear to change colour, depending on the relative position of the
onlooker The lights also have dimmers and timers enabling them to be faded
in and out. The banks of light are sequenced between the piers.
With elements on both South Pier and Claremont Pier the vertical nature of
the design contrasts with the horizontal piers and adds a new dimension to
the seafront.
The Ness Beacon
The
Ness Beacon
is an example of environmental art. Created by Christopher Tipping and
Landscape Design Associates in partnership with Anglia Water, this
ambitious project will augment the Ness, which is Britain's most easterly
point.
The
finished work will comprise a 12m high tower surrounded by a series of swirling
and flowing shapes forming steps, ramps and a raised viewing platform. The
lighting scheme has been designed with reference to the old 'Low Light' lighthouse
that stood nearby and the changing hues of the sunrise.
A second element is known as 'the defence', which is a drift of posts inspired
by the former sea defences on the shoreline. This multi layered structure
provides a powerful and abstract image on the exposed headland.
The final feature of the design is 'the promenade', which links the Beacon
to Euroscope - a horizontal compass rose showing distances to the European
capitals. The design is based on the impact of coastal erosion on concrete-slabbed
sea defence structures.
Statues
Standing next to the bascule bridge is Dominic
Marshall's lifeboatman statue
- a tribute to the sterling work of lifeboatmen done for the seafarers of
the world.
The statue of the fisherman in Station Square - the 'Call
of the Sea' is a tribute to all those who have
sailed from Lowestoft over the years by William Redgrave.
The Gateways
The
two gateways
on Waterloo and Claremont Roads link the promenade to the retail area of London
Road South based on a concept by Derek Latham. The arches on Claremont
Road create a simple but effective connection between the two.
The arches are complemented by Anu Patel's tree
grilles that incorporate fishing boats and herring
in their design and also by her vivid whirlpool that can be found outside
the Claremont Pier.
The whirlpool is
a paving feature using resin-bonded aggregates. Based around the central motif
of a compass is a swirling pattern of fish that combines to create a striking
feature at this focal point of esplanade, pier and gateway.
Waterloo Road features a row of curved lamp-posts that are fitted with banners
during the summer months. The banners, designed by Lee Lapthorne are
abstract designs based on actual photographs of features along the Lowestoft
seafront.
Lee has also designed the Kirkley,
Lowestoft sign that appears at the entrance
and exit to the Kirkley ward. The view evokes an image of the sea as a place
of leisure and pleasure and has been chosen to reflect this area's long links
with the tourist trade.
This
design has been adopted by the local tourist industry and features on much
of their publicity.
The sand sculpture of Neptune
was constructed by the Scottish firm of artists, Grineal. The statue,
that stood on Royal Green, was part of the Millennium celebrations that included
workshops and a sand sculpture competition. Sadly, all that now remains of
Neptune is the picture on display opposite Claremont Pier.