Making Cribbs Canopy

Welcome to our studio in Haydon, Dorset, a converted chapel nestled beneath Scots Pines and Oak trees. We are Eleanor Goulding and Russell Denman, plus Luna our studio assistant and resident golden retriever who is a constant source of joy and motivation in the workshop.

Currently, Russell is working on the initial stage of our largest sculpture to date: a habitat-supporting sculpture called Cribbs Canopy.

Russell is shaping English oak dowels that will serve as the core components of the nest-inspired piece. English oak adds a distinctive organic and natural character to the sculpture. Each dowel is carefully hand-cut and fitted into steel flitches.

The design takes inspiration from both the eaves of buildings and natural nesting forms, blending architectural and organic elements to offer essential shelter and nesting spaces for birds such as swifts, starlings, house martins, and smaller garden birds.

Photograph Eleanor Goulding

The design draws from the natural geometry of nest forms, with each triangular segment eventually forming part of a central ‘nest’ structure. Once each piece is crafted, they are sent one by one to our metal fabricator, who will weld them together during the next phase of the build.

Photograph by Eleanor Goulding

Soon we’ll share phase two – follow @GinkgoProjects @_DenmanGould so you don’t miss it.

This is a site-specific multi-installation project for a recently constructed area of sustainable urban drainage space at Cribbs Causeway, Bristol.

Commissioned by Ginkgo Projects for Baylis Estates Limited