↑ ‘living wall’ peace installation
@theleapbd
People and places thrive when placemaking integrates arts, culture, and design activities into efforts that can strengthen social and environmental change in communities. Our Change Space projects puts local people at the heart of leading the creative process as dreamers, architects and designers of places. Our work builds partnerships across sectors, deeply engages the community, and involves artists, designers, statutory services and policy makers, laying the groundwork for wider systems change.
A fantastic new project in Bradford Moor has breathed new life into the area in every sense - and sent creative ambitions for Bradford's inner city communities soaring into 2025 and beyond!
Conceived by visual and landscape artist and architect Shiraaz Ali, and co-funded by Arts Council England, the Keith Howard Foundation and Better Place Bradford, the Living Wall of Peace has transformed an unused wall next to Laisterdyke Library into a vibrant space which celebrates nature and envisions a future for this part of Bradford which is all about peace and possibility.
The bold design unveiled for the first time on Thursday, August 24th with a special community celebration - features a phoenix in flight, a beautiful light installation, and a plethora of plant life in a sensory garden style featuring scents and tastes from locally grown thyme, chamomile, sorrel, spinaches, parsley and sage.
Shiraaz, a Bradford born and bred lad who was last year named one of three artists in residence at City Hall, says:
"This project was born from a young Bradford lad who wished to have more green spaces where he could feel safe to play.”
A simple wish planted the seed for the wall at Laisterdyke to become a symbol of hope and prosperity for Bradford’s future as ‘The Wall of Peace’.
The project aims to create a symbiosis between nature and art to create a powerful message of peace in our hometown. Our local, diverse and incredible communities are aimed to be celebrated through this project using language, as the word ‘peace’ is translated in 20 languages that are spoken in the local area, to propose a unification of Bradford and its amazing communities.”
The design and artwork takes its inspiration from sacred geometry that is found in many cultures across the world and aims to symbolise unity for the city and create awe and inspiration for the people and younger generations. And the phoenix design intends to create a mystical element, and symbolizes Bradford’s rising future which will soar high with time and be a place which we are all very proud to call home."
Adele Adams, Better Place Project Manager, says: ‘"The Laisterdyke Library living wall project is in an area that lots of people pass by and is close to where families live. It felt a wasted opportunity not to transform the wall as something playful and beautiful on people’s doorstep