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Teaching spaces

A BingBangBong garden may also be installed as a teaching space rather than / as well as a play / experiential space. This is a very specific focus and is normally only by request from a client with specific needs. Once we are agreed that a teaching space is what is desired then B3 can bring a significant experience-based approach to such a design.

Consideration will be given to

• Class sizes
• Space Layout
  • Instrument clusters
  • Discrete spaces
  • Teachers' stations

Opened in July 2005, the sensory garden at Surestart in Tilbury, uses a mixture of instruments, planting, structure and hard works to create a space designed to stimulate the senses of early years children.

The garden includes batonkas, chimes, gurglophones non-sound-items from Bingbangbong as well as the overall design. The planting is designed to provide smell, taste, touch and vision; all plants are safe to be handled by very young children. A range of walking surfaces with a variety of textures were used to provide visual definition of the areas as well as being part of the sensory fabric of the space

Because this area receives significant attention from unwanted visitors, it was necessary to upgrade all the instruments and fixings to increase resistance to vandalism and theft. It was also necessary to install security throughout the site with cameras, lights and anti climb fencing.

The design revitalised a number of under utilised areas of the site that lay outside the centre's cafe. Now parents can have a drink or some lunch on the new deck and watch their children playing in the new musical sensory garden.

The garden's concept and design is by by Paul Marshall and landscape architect Peter McDonald.

Project management by Martin Abley

Hardworks and planting by Ian and Paul from Acer Landscapes.

Surestart Co-ordinator Annie McKinney

Made possible through the generosity and support of the Cory Trust

The bell tree is a copper sound sculpture designed and made by Paul that was part of a major show garden in the 2006 Hampton Court Flower Show. The RHS awarded the garden a bronze medal.

The Garden

The garden was "the Well Garden" and was created by multi-award winning designer Tony Challis of Ginkgo Landscapes in London. The client was Independent Age and the whole garden is to be taken from Hampton Court and installed at a nursing home in Hove. You can see more of the garden including a panoramic image here

The Tree

The tree itself comprises three layers of broad-leaved copper that are positioned to spread out from the original base. The main copper piece sits in the centre of the 1.2m diameter well and the 'leaves' hang over the water where they shimmer with any air movement.

I'm delighted to announce that I am now working with the show Tapeire and its creator James Devine to generate some new sounds for his amazing feet -

There is some video available and here's some blurb about the show.

"A unique new way of expression created by James Devine, the world's fastest dancer clocked at 38 taps per second. TAPEIRE fuses the raw improvisation of Rhythm Tap and the percussive sounds of Irish dance in surprising new ways....

From the end of 2005, Paul worked as instrument design consultant with the creators of Stomp, Luke Cresswell and Steve McNicholas, to create new and unusual instruments for the world premiere of their new production, the Lost and Found Orchestra [LFO].

The general concept was that if Stomp was the percussion section, then what would the rest of the orchestra look like? Here's a chance to see the rest of the orchestra

The commission was to come up with new and interesting approaches to making music from everyday or unusual objects and to translate the ideas of Steve and Luke into sonic reality. Although living 500 miles away in N Ireland, Paul commuted regularly to Brighton to undertake this work.

Update - the show apparently broke all box office records at Sydney Opera House ousting Frank Sinatra - Sorry Frank - Way to go LFO!