Nottingham Night Light Initial Proposal

Proposals accepted for the Nottingham Night Light 8th Feb 2013

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This is how it's starting to look...

The Lighthouse installation will be situated overlooking an urban island. It will transform this traffic bound area – one that has been subject to much controversy from its inception and now its future – with its rotating beacon lights. The inventiveness of its structure will provide a correlation with lighthouses at sea inviting a spectacle of hope and positivity to the public. Viewers are invited to consider the ambivalence of meaning the lighthouse portrays both as a protector to those who are lost, bringing them to a place of safety and as a warning of danger and uncertainty.

The Lighthouse’s positioning brings attention to the historical gateway of the city and offers the public a rare chance to participate in helping to both illuminate and protect it.

Only 15-20 words for brochure - "Come visit The Lighthouse overlooking an urban island inviting us to consider its ambivalence of meaning - as protector and warning of uncertainty." 

Public access to the area Level 5 car park as main viewing point. Also visible from the streets below and the castle.

Proposed siting of Installation

View upwards to site from Collin Street and Broadmarsh

The Lighthouse - the Concept

The plan would be to construct a temporary lighthouse on top of Nottingham’s Broadmarsh car park. The rotating beacon light would be fixed to one of the two-rooftop access blocks. It would be powered from the mains. It would be possible to add sound and consideration is being given to transmitting intermittent foghorns.

The public could access the area but the main viewing point would be from the streets below and most significantly would directly communicate with events happening at the castle. The beam can radiate for 10/15 miles and this would draw in the surrounding areas and be seen as far over to Wilford Hill/Colwick Hill and the East Leake Hills.

The concept of the lighthouse is that by being based upon an urban island it will transform this traffic bound area – one that has been subject to much controversy from its inception and now its future. Its physicality will provide a correlation with lighthouses at sea inviting a spectacle of hope and positivity to the public. Viewers are invited to consider the ambivalence of meaning the lighthouse portrays both as a protector to those who are lost, bringing them to a place of safety and as a warning of danger and uncertainty.

The beacon light will radiate so powerfully to act as a reminder of the continuing strategic importance of Nottingham. It will bring attention to a part of the city that has prominence as part of the historical strategic gateway to the centre yet it is also housed upon an urban island whose buildings are subject to demolition plans and redevelopment and hence uncertainty.