Northampton Market Square up in lights
Northampton’s historic Market Square has been transformed with £458,000 of state-of-the-art colour change LED lighting.
People attending the Northampton Music Festival in the Market Square on Sunday 13 June will be the first members of the public to see the lighting spectacular following a media preview on Tuesday 8 June.
Designed by nationally renowned multi-media artist, Jo Fairfax, ‘Square Light’ brings art and town regeneration together in a major project for the town that uses state-of-the-art colour change LED lights alongside unique animated projections. West Northamptonshire Development Corporation (WNDC) has invested £354,000, whilst Arts Council England (ACE) has awarded £60,000 of funding to the project.
Two historical characters linked to the area, George Bernard Shaw and Francis Crick, will be seen strolling about and waving down to the people of Northampton from a ghostly balcony of the former Peacock Hotel – all cleverly projected on to the large windows of the modern Peacock Place shopping centre. The respectable fellows, Shaw and Crick, will also surprise audiences by bursting into modern ballet, the lindy-hop, afro-brazilian capoeira and the tango during the continuous three hour film loop.
Apart from the magical projection on Peacock Place, the historic buildings on all four sides of, and the alleyways leading into, the market square will be illuminated with the latest technologies in coloured computerised lighting, emphasising key features on the beautiful facades. The more modern buildings have been given a different treatment to make them more interesting – ‘sparkles’ will throw light in beautiful star-like shapes on the less detailed surfaces. 14 new lamp columns have also been installed around the edge of the square.
A changing colour palette has been programmed into the state-of-the-art system so that no hour will look the same throughout the whole year. The project will add to the atmosphere of any event in the Market Square but the system’s flexibility means that distinctive themes are planned for seasonal days of the year – people may see a special red and white display for St George’s day or pink for Valentine’s day.
In addition to bringing a dramatic and welcoming effect to the centre of the town, the lighting is environmentally sustainable and will bring large energy savings, maintenance cost savings and crime reduction.
Cllr Richard Church, portfolio holder for planning and regeneration at Northampton Borough Council, said: “This wonderful lighting scheme mixes a very vibrant artistic concept with practical regeneration to give the people of Northampton a really exciting spectacle.
“The Borough Council has been working with a number of partners for nearly a year, including the county council, to create a sensitive scheme that emphasises the historic elements of the Market Square but also makes the modern buildings more interesting. It is yet another town centre improvement project that is helping Northampton to stand out from other towns in the region and I’m sure residents and visitors will enjoy this unique cultural attraction for years to come.”
Roger Mendonca, chief operating officer at WNDC, added: “Northampton town centre already has a lot to offer, but it has the potential to become something really special. The new and improved market square will be the vibrant and colourful heart of Northampton as it develops into the market city of the future. It is just one of the projects WNDC is enabling to help make this ambition a reality. Alongside the local authorities, we are also working to deliver new waterside development in the town centre, as well as the redevelopment of Castle Railway station.”
Sarah Reed, Relationship Manager Visual Arts at Arts Council England, said: “Square light is an excellent example of creative thinking about what art in public places can be. By providing the opportunity for an artist to work with the design right from the start, Square Light delivers a project that engages the public with their environment and provides an exciting and unique experience for everyone to enjoy.”
Posted by: Northampton Borough Council
