Project Summary
In 2004 Beam (then Public Arts) commissioned Finnish artist Jan-Erik Anderson to respond to and enhance the work of Alsop Architects on designs for further development of The Orangery as a regional ‘creative centre for the built environment’.

Anderson designed and installed a temporary structure in the grounds of The Orangery, which refered directly to one of the key metaphors used by Alsops in their innovative designs – the treetop ‘nest’.

‘Bird’s Nest’ continued the collaboration between Anderson and American sound artist Shawn Decker. As with previous ‘nests’ in Finland and Berlin, The Orangery ‘Birds Nest’ explored new ways of developing architecture based on forms found in nature. These forms were combined with a kinetic sound ‘environment’ activated from physical means (piano wire, motors etc), which used the physical structure of the nest itself as a resonant body (like a sounding board in a piano). The artists saw these acoustic and kinetic elements functioning as architectural ornamentation, broadening the concept of the ‘ornament’ to include sound and rhythm.

Although ‘Bird’s Nest’ looked chaotic, it was made from single uniform triangle shaped wooden modules. The module concept had been widely used in modernist architecture often resulting in monotonous and repetitive buildings. In the ‘Bird’s Nest’ structure however, the arrangement of the triangles in a semi-chaotic manner created a space which was more organic and rooted in structures found within natural systems. It was also a social space providing a sheltered site for sitting, talking, eating and other communal activities.