Coast Line
A new town square
Washington Street, Workington town centre
The first completed public realm project, a new town square
designed by Simon Hitchens called Coast Line, was opened in April
2006. The space is in one of the most prominent locations in the
town and forms a focal point for visitors coming into Workington,
whilst providing shoppers with an area to rest, meet and chat.
Coast Line consists of twelve large sculptural seats carved and
sawn from boulders of red granite locally quarried at Shap, with
some seats featuring cast clear resin bases underneath. A four
metre high polished granite and resin sculpture forms the
centrepiece. Coast Line also incorporates a bike rack and a
‘leaning stone’.
The area is paved in three colours of granite which delineate a
map of the west Cumbrian coast. Blue pinpoint LED lights pick out
the ‘Coast Line’, and red LED lights illuminate the underside of
the granite and resin seats.
About the artist
Simon Hitchens is a sculptor based in Somerset who was shortlisted
for the Jerwood Sculpture Prize in 2005 and has had several
important commissions including ‘Shining
Silence’
which occupies a site opposite Harrods in London. Coast Line is
Simon’s most ambitious project to date.
'Beat It Up!', the drummers who performed at the official opening
of Coast Line, are a Workington-based group formed by Soundwave,
Cumbria's Youth Music Action Zone. The
group was trained by Hands on Rhythm.