Grey to Green
Bringing colour and life to a once grey corner of Sheffield
Grey to Green is an award-winning urban regeneration scheme. It’s transformed a former dual-carriageway in a once dusty corner of Sheffield into a beautiful green public space that encourages people to walk, cycle and potter.
A series of planting beds feature innovative flood prevention systems. They retain large volumes of rainwater, releasing it slowly into nearby rivers. We designed public artworks and interpretation throughout the scheme. They tell stories of the area’s history, add colour in winter and even double up as habitats for wildlife.
Our artworks were informed by Sheffield’s iconic architecture.
Creative approach
We led on creative direction for Grey to Green, designing a series of multi-layered graphic artworks based on the history and urban landscape of the Castlegate area. Sheffield’s castle, rivers, markets and iconic buildings all feature. Our writer Kat had fun researching the area and creating content for our interpretation panels along the route.
Grey to Green won Best Open Space and overall Outstanding project at the Sheffield Design Awards.
To emphasise the environmental impact of the scheme, the artworks also double up as homes for wildlife. They feature built-in bird houses, bug hotels and beehives. We worked alongside Richard Dawson, an artist specialising in working with wildlife and habitats.
We worked closely with Sheffield City Council on timings for production and installation, and managed a team of contractors to meet the budget and timescale.
We also created a range of activity sheets to encourage children and families to visit and learn more about the scheme and the wildlife who’ve made it their home.
“Eleven were a joy to work with. They are full of enthusiasm and creative ideas. They managed the whole process effectively and worked to exacting (and unmovable) time and budget constraints. I would highly recommend them for any project.”
Andrew Skelton, Public Art Officer, Sheffield City Council
