PROJECT DESCRIPTION
--------------------------
A hoarding art project in 3 phases which sought to make visible to the public the transformation process that occurs when a retail space is fitted out. This was likened to the metamorphosis of a caterpillar into a butterfly.

METHOD
---------
The Hairy Hoarding project celebrates the often concealed process of metamorphosis that takes place each week on London’s Oxford Street as each shop transforms itself to meet the vibrant and constantly changing nature of the thoroughfare. The main construction site was on the first floor (with a smaller corner entrance where Oxford and Portman Streets intersect). Therefore the challenge that faced the client and Hakes Associates was how to communicate to the public that all this activity was occurring above their heads (pedestrians) or directly alongside them (if on the top deck of a bus). To this end Hakes Associates designed high level hypertext to wrap around the actual main building site at first floor level. This explained the concept behind the art work displayed on the street level. At street level the three images of transformation, hairy, cocoon and wing, were displayed.

BENEFIT
---------
The hoarding project was important to the client as it greatly increased the visibility of a difficult retail site. The fact that the ground floor element of the project changed every few weeks in the run up to the store opening helped to build curiosity and anticipation amongst the public. The initial concept (unrealised) actually involved real ‘hairs’ constructed form latex tubing, the ‘cocoon’ phase was to be the same tubes wrapped around a translucent material and the ‘wing’ phase would be made from reflective or translucent sheet material fixed by tubing to the hoarding. The speed of the project did not allow the necessary planning approvals to be acquired or research into more durable, practical materials, therefore the main lessons learnt relate to making an abstract concept visible and realisable within 6 weeks.