Forest of Imagination 2017

Every year ‘Forest of Imagination’ transforms a public space into a hive of excitement and creativity, inviting participants to engage with artwork, workshops and interactive installations. This year, the four day event was held at Bushey Norwood, a beautiful National Trust meadow adjacent to the University of Bath campus.

Working with architecture and engineering students from Bath University, Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios were invited to design and build four ‘Houses of Imagination’. Each house would nestle somewhere within the meadow and eventually accommodate a different artist or workshop.

The following images document the design process for one particular installation, the 'Booky Ball' - from our initial site discussions, right through to the completed structure.

Looking for inspiration

Sketch Ideas

Making Scale Models & Building Prototypes

Resolving Structural Issues

Cutting the Timber

The Build Begins...

Last few late night modifications

Booky Ball is Complete!

The Distant Approach

In addition to ‘Booky Ball’, 3 other amazing ‘Houses of Imagination’ were built. The following photos show the completed structures in various locations within the meadow.

'The Run'

'The Cocoonery'

'The Hideaway'

Looking back, it was amazing to see what could be achieved in just a few days - architecture is often quite a long process, generally taking a few years between the first concept sketch and the finished building. It was so refreshing to take part in this rapid process, working collaboratively to produce something beautiful in a very short period of time.

When the Forest of Imagination opened to the public the following weekend it was lovely to see people of all ages engaging with the structures. Incredibly the ‘Houses of Imagination’ only formed part of the event. Pop up activity tents, sound installations and a giant acorn arena contributed to the overall creative experience. To find out more about Forest of Imagination check out the website here.