CASE STUDY: Sourcing outdoor furniture for the award-nominated Weston

730 565 Hamish Kilburn
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CASE STUDY: Sourcing outdoor furniture for the award-nominated Weston

Opened to the public in March 2019, The Weston is a new visitor centre for the Eastern entrance of Yorkshire Sculpture Park. When designing it, Feilden Fowles specified timeless outdoor furniture from Nest Contracts…

Nest Contracts, which is commonly referred to as a design destination, worked closely with the project architects to source and provide the outdoor furniture for this Stirling Prize nominated project.

Nestled within the site of an old quarry, the Weston is a new £3.6million visitor centre for the YSP. Designed by award-winning architects, Feilden Fowles, the project consists of a restaurant, gallery space, public foyer and shop. This beautiful, light-filled building aims to upgrade the visitor experience at the YSP and increase the capacity at this ever-popular open-air gallery site. In recognition of its exceptional design, this building was shortlisted for the 2019 RIBA Stirling Prize.

Celebrating more than 40 years of art without walls, Yorkshire Sculpture Park is the leading international centre for modern and contemporary sculpture. An independent charitable trust, YSP is situated in the 500 acre, 18th-century Bretton Hall estate near Wakefield in West Yorkshire. Open all year round, the YSP hosts a variety of permanent and temporary exhibitions from international artists that have included Ai Weiwei, Barbara Hepworth and Joan Miró.

“Nest Contracts was delighted to source furniture for the Weston. The simple graphic lines and excellent durability of the Hay Palissade collection made it the perfect choice to complement this exceptional piece of public architecture.” – Nest Contracts

Sourcing the perfect furniture

Designed to have a minimum impact on the site, the use of pigmented concrete on the exterior of the Weston mirrors the native sandstone in the area, making the building very much a part of its surroundings. Natural materials have been used within the interiors, creating a minimal, Scandinavian inspired restaurant.

Emerging from the slope of the historical landscape, The Weston’s low profile protects it from the nearby M1 motorway and provides a sheltered, sunken terrace from which to take in the stunning views over the park. Nest Contracts provided a selection of outdoor furniture from the Hay Palissade collection to furnish this terrace.

Enabling extra outdoor seating for the Weston’s restaurant and also acting as an informal resting place for dog walkers and visitors to the open-air gallery – the terrace needed to be furnished with outdoor pieces which matched the minimal, Scandinavian aesthetic of the project and that were also extremely durable. With a lightweight, powder-coated steel construction, the Hay Palissade collection is strong without being bulky and elegant without being fragile – the perfect choice for this project.

Nest.co.uk is not just an eCommerce site anymore – now delivering a very competitive contract offering thanks to long-standing relationships with established suppliers. Account managers will look after you from start to finish, with a care service that is second to none. From the initial specification to pricing and budgeting, all the way through to delivery and after service consultations, the team are on hand to ensure that everything runs smoothly.

Nest Contracts is one of the brands that has taken advantage of our Industry Support Package. To keep up to date with supplier news, click here. And, if you are interested in also benefitting from this  three-month editorial package, please email Katy Phillips by clicking here.

Main image caption: YSP’s Weston visitor centre | image credit: Max Hawley

Hamish Kilburn / 04.06.2020

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