Aspire
MICK TACKER STUDIO LTD
Aspire
A Spire or Aspire is made up of two bipedal towers that are shaped to frame spire formations on the skyline from different angles. It is situated at the junction of the A605 and Kingston Park, leading to the IKEA Distribution & Contact Centre. It is built of stainless steel and measures H 570 x W 450 x D 310 cm. It was commissioned by Peterborough Sculpture Trust. Unless you work in the distribution centre or need to go there for a specific reason, you are unlikely to notice it.
Renn and Thacker were inspired by the flat landscape, the vastness of sky and country, and how this was broken up and linked by the scattering of church spires over the horizon when they visited Peterborough during the construction of the Ikea distribution building1. The concept was to add a fourth spire to the skyline. The new spire will be illusory, the result of two different shapes colliding to form a spire-shaped frame. The sculptors were drawn to the gap between the structures and the landscape.
The two structures covered in stainless steel and reflect elements of the surrounding terrain and skyscapes. The sculpture varies with the weather, becoming practically invisible at times. The up-lit structures form a strong landmark at night2.
Please get in touch if you have any additional information about A Spire that you would like to share. Thank you.
References:
1 Nene Park (nd) Peterborough Sculpture Collection (online) Available at: https://www.nenepark.org.uk/peterborough-sculpture-collection [Accessed 05 Feb 2022]
2 Mick Thacker Studio (nd) A Spire (online) Available at: https://www.axisweb.org/p/mickthacker/ [Accessed 05 Feb 2022]
Images:
Figure 1 and 2: Fu, R (2022) Aspire in winter [image]
Figure 3: Trolove, M (2009) Aspire [image] Availabe at: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:A_Spire_Geograph-1274167-by-Michael-Trolove.jpg [Accessed 05 Feb 2022]
Figure 4 and 5: Fu, R (2022) Aspire in winter [image]