Castlefields was a 1960’s designed high-rise New Town housing surburb based on a public transport loop linking long (up to 800m) rectilinear 4/5-storey blocks. Despite a promising start, the 1980s saw a change in the fortunes for Castlefields with the area developing wide reaching environmental, economic and social problems leading to severe decline. Since 2002, the Castlefields Regeneration Partnership has worked in coalition with local people and key stakeholders to make the area a better place. A masterplan for Castlefields was published in 2003, following extensive consultation with the local community. Anyone living in the area who wanted to stay had the right to a new house. One recurring priority from the consultation was the poor public-realm including the foreboding nature of the subways, a crucial part of the pedestrian network. One or two subways were filled in and replaced, but due to Highway constriants it was not justified for all of them.
The Phoenix Park Gateway Gallery was initiated as part of the masterplan and the Castlefields Public Arts Strategy. This art installation transforms Plantation Close subway, a gateway connecting Castlefields with Phoenix Park, an important green space for the local community. This one small intervention is part of a much bigger place-making approach, set out in the masterplan and vision for the area, addressing local fear of crime and anti-social behaviour through closure and redesign of subways. It creates a place of true distinction and provides an important linkage in the overall greenspace in the area, connecting the play area and park with residential areas in a way which is imaginative, comfortable and safe for pedestrians.
The Gateway Gallery is managed on behalf of local people by a gallery committee who act as guardians of the installation and manage future use and exhibitions within the gallery space. Local residents, community groups, local councillors, schools and other interested parties are all able to attend the committee meetings.
The solution for Plantation Close subway was the installation chosen by a panel of community representatives who selected artist Mamily Sheibani for his creative approach using stainless steel mirrors in colourful frames to bring the subway to life with natural light and changing reflections. The steel frame panels have been designed to allow artworks to be installed within them, creating a highly versatile and continually changing exhibition space. This approach also enables ongoing community use of the ‘gallery’ space. 76 local young people worked with a community artist to create the first exhibition. Even without artwork inserted, the installation is an accomplished piece of art.
