Whittle Arch

The Whittle Arch is a public art installation in Coventry, England. It is dedicated to Sir Frank Whittle, the inventor of the turbojet engine, who was born in Coventry. The arch was designed as part of Coventry's Phoenix Initiative regeneration project at the start of the 21st century.[2]

Whittle Arch
The Whittle Arch in 2005
52.41055°N 1.50863°W / 52.41055; -1.50863
LocationMillenium Place, Coventry, England
DesignerMacCormac Jamieson Prichard
TypeArch
MaterialSteel
Width60m
Height15m[1]
Completion date2003
Dedicated toSir Frank Whittle

History

The Phoenix Initiative was instigated by Coventry City Council in the early 1990s, and the architectural firm MacCormac Jamieson Prichard won the contract in 1997 to masterplan the redevelopment. They designed the Whittle Arch as a transition from the "past" (St Mary's Priory and Cathedral) to the "future" (the Garden of International Friendship) on the pedestrian route through the project.[3] It was constructed by Westbury Structures Ltd, then erected in 2003 by Butterley Construction.[4]

In May 2020 the arch was cleaned by the council and new lights were installed to illuminate it at night. This was done as part of the council's effort to "work to make the city centre brighter and cleaner". The work was paid for with a £78,000 grant from the West Midlands Combined Authority.[5]

Design

The arch is in fact a pair of arches leaning together for support. It is constructed from steel aerofoil section tubular lattices covered in stainless steel mesh, allowing the lights inside to illuminate the structure.[6] It has a 60-metre span over a bus gate in Millenium Place, outside the Coventry Transport Museum.

References
  1. "Whittle Arch in Coventry". Britain All Over. Retrieved 4 March 2021.
  2. "The Phoenix Initiative | MJP Architects". Retrieved 4 March 2021.
  3. "Public Art Online Regeneration Case Studies - Coventry Phoenix Initiative". www.publicartonline.org.uk. Retrieved 4 March 2021.
  4. "SSDA Commendation: Whittle Arch and Glass Bridge, Coventry". newsteelconstruction.com. 1 September 2004. Retrieved 4 March 2021.
  5. "Coventry's Whittle Arch will be permanently lit up for the first time in five years". Retrieved 4 March 2021.
  6. "Whittle Arch and Glass Bridge, Coventry". www.lusas.com. Retrieved 4 March 2021.


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