Keel Edge

A decorative border was designed and installed for Sunderland Council at the outdoor events space adjacent to City Hall. The project - Keel Edge - forms a striking visual gateway within the Riverside Sunderland regeneration scheme, connecting the civic heart to the riverside.

The graphics were developed with attention to the location and its river crossings. Archive images of three local bridges: the Wearmouth Bridge, the Northern Spire cable‑stayed road bridge, and the new Keel Crossing footbridge, were processed into halftone patterns. Graduated line graphics were artfully blended with the panel outlines so that each bridge silhouette subtly emerges from the edges, lending local resonance and narrative to the composition. Each section also incorporates the precise geographical coordinates of the corresponding bridge, woven subtly into the graduated lines, grounding the artwork in its physical and cultural context.

Layering printed twinwall polycarbonate created a static artwork with both depth and visual movement. Overlapping imagery, transparency, and spacing allows lighting and shadows to shift as people move past. The panels were mounted on a scaffolding support system and finished in colours that match Sunderland Council’s branding, ensuring the installation harmonises with the broader Riverside Sunderland development.

Lighting is integral to the effect: the sections house integrated tube lighting, and a bespoke series of perforated light tubes were designed and embedded within surrounding planters to add a glowing frame at night around the space.

A full turnkey service was delivered, encompassing conceptual design, fabrication, installation, programming, and structural engineering. SHED provided structural engineering support to ensure the system met safety, durability, and performance standards.

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Photography by Jack Storey