LONDON.- International real estate company, Hines has commissioned Royal Academician Tom Phillips to create a new permanent public artwork on the façade of its One Grafton Street development in, Mayfair, London.

Tom Phillips, CBE,RA has created an engaging and contemporary frieze that will run above the ground floor of the mixed-use development on Grafton Street, wrapping around the building on to Hay Hill. Inspired by the surrounding Mayfair architecture, characterised by decorative ironwork features such as balustrades, screens and gateways, Phillips’ piece will be a subtle abstracted metalwork series of railings in monochrome. It will be made of mild steel, galvanized and finished in black gloss paint.

Tom Phillips commented: “I thought that a regular railing would provide the ideal basis for the design with a group of elements so to speak being ’taken for a walk’, intertwining and swapping ends with each other at regular intervals. The result will be a work of art that is both subtly appropriate to the exterior of this period building while creating an unexpected focus of interest upon discovery.”

Hines UK has commissioned Phillips as part of its on-going commitment to high quality public art. This includes the One Spirit Showcase – a series of collaborations between Hines and cultural organisations to support the arts and other cultural activities connected to its development projects. In the case of the One Grafton Street development, Hines has collaborated extensively with the Royal Academy Schools launching two key initiatives: an innovative online competition; and a photography scholarship for Royal Academy Schools’ students.

Robbie Pitman, Hines UK, commented, “It’s a huge coup to have secured an original work from Tom Phillips for One Grafton Street. It will add the final prestigious element to this exciting development. Tom’s ironwork feature will be a permanent reminder of our continued commitment to integrating art into this project.”