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February 19, 2008, 07:59 AM ET
Ken Shuttleworth, Designer of the 'Gherkin,' Has a New Spire at University of Nottingham
A whisk? No, it’s Aspire. (Make Architects)
Some artists might take offense if their work were likened to a giant pickle, but the architect Ken Shuttleworth has no objection to the nickname that Londoners have bestowed on his most famous design, 30 St Mary Axe, aka the Gherkin.
A newer creation, which is to be erected this year on the Jubilee Campus of the University of Nottingham, has been officially christened Aspire. The red-and-orange steel sculpture is a gift from an anonymous donor who wanted a new symbol for the university and the city — something that the people of Nottingham can see from a long way away, says Sir Colin Campbell, the university’s vice chancellor.
No height guidance was given, Sir Colin says, but Mr. Shuttleworth’s design easily satisfied the donor’s wishes. At nearly 200 feet , Aspire will be the tallest free-standing sculpture in Britain.
“The idea was to go as narrow as we dare at bottom, then to flare out, and to change color from top to bottom, so that its as bright as possible on the landscape,” explains Mr. Shuttleworth. Floodlights will alert low-flying aircraft.
As for the name, Aspire was one of several suggestions — with varying degrees of hilarity, Sir Colin says — elicited from students. Mr. Shuttleworth is under no illusions about what silly sobriquets might lie in store for his creation.
“I’ve heard egg whisk,” he says. “But these nicknames take time to get into the psyche.” —Aisha Labi
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