'Our Space has been a fantastic process to observe, with Will building on his ability to engage creatively with people to develop a measuring system based on the human body which was then the basis for the dimensions of the Our Space Pavilion. The way Our Space created opportunities for lots of people to participate, whilst also allowing the artist to retain creative control, and the collaborative elements – with architects, a photographer and the community themselves – makes this an inspirational example of how a school project can really aspire to excellence' - Stephanie Fuller - ACE

'Once a sited artwork is made it can look deceptively simple; the best work as if it was always there, because it makes sense of /with a space. But making a piece of public art in collaboration with others is a complicated, uneven, messy, unexpected and protracted process. The final work is only one realisation of all the possibilities that have gone before, the creative knitting together of some selected strands into one concrete form. And then – as importantly –the artwork develops a life of its own in the intersections between the re-shaped place, the people who take it over and their engagements with it through time.' Jos Boyes - Senior Research Fellow, Learning Spaces
Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching, University of Brighton

“The idea of making a structure one could enter into, and be surrounded by, was a response to the need for a large artwork that would transform the empty courtyard, energising it. The Our Space Pavilion is a space to be occupied, providing a quiet space for contemplation yet with the potential to encourage and house busy community events.” Will Nash.

The pavilion consists of three distinct, balanced elements. Fifteen spun-steel red dishes overlap to form a canopy, sheltering the space from the weather and reflecting sound from below back downward. Thirty galvanised steel posts form a vertical matrix supporting the dishes and delineating the boundary between the inside and outside of the piece. The curved gabion base grounds the structure, providing a seat inside and around the pavilion. The gabions are formed from wire mesh filled with a mixture of granite and earth, planted with thyme. The work was developed with advice from structural engineer Tom Bedford of BEP Consulting Engineers Ltd and help from S&G Construction Ltd.

Will Nash was commissioned by Willingdon Community School to permanently transform a disused courtyard through wide consultation and engagement with the local community. As a designated arts school the building functions on many different levels for a diverse mix of people, on evenings and weekends as well as during the usual school day. The site was identified by a group of students, facilitated by artists and architects and was chosen for its accessibility yet lack of defined function. A space for quiet contemplation was requested by nearly everyone involved and so became part of the artist’s brief. Everyone with a past, present or future relationship with the school was invited to take part in a series of workshops, where participants posed like the Long Man of Wilmington, the school logo, in a specially constructed photo booth. The results can be seen in the film ‘Communal Space’ by photographer Anthony Carr.