A new public open space is to be created on the site of the former Alan Berry Building opposite Coventry Cathedral.
With the development of a new Coventry University building on the site of City Centre 2, the former Coventry University HQ building, is no longer needed and the University is planning to redevelop the site as a new public space. The Alan Berry building was constructed in 1963 at what was then the Lanchester College of Techology. It was later named after Alan Berry, who was the Director and Chief Executive for the West Midlands Engineering Employers’ Association.
As you see from the architect’s drawing above, the aim is to open up the views of the Cathedral from the University campus. The demolished building will be replaced with garden lawns. The University has stated “The development plans focus on forming additional landscaping, promoting the university’s desire to open up vistas within the campus while providing high-quality, green spaces. The plans aspire to facilitate an uninterrupted view of Coventry Cathedral from the university’s Arts and Humanities facilities on Cox Street, which are currently being redeveloped.”
A focal point of the new landscaping will be a new sculpture called “Phoenix Tree”. Coventry artist, George Wagstaffe, has been commissioned to create the sculpture that draws upon his experiences as a blitz survivor and that pays tribute to the City’s three spires.
Geoge said “The sculpture is about new life, new possibilities and new beginnings.
“It takes inspiration from a story about a strange group of 60-foot criss-crossing trees I painted in Wales. I asked a farmer about the trees and was told a tree had fallen 90 years ago. It was buried, then new trees started to spring from the dead tree and grew much taller than the one that had fallen.
“The story fits with what I believe in – in rebirth, that all things break up naturally in nature and out of that comes something new, growing sometimes stronger than before, like Coventry.
“I can remember walking over rubble near this site, studying near here and watching the new cathedral go up. I saw something beautiful come out of destruction here and hope my statue can do the same.
“I hope this is a fitting statue to symbolise the city and a growing university because for me the university is bringing life to the city.”
It seems particularly appropriate that George has been commissioned to do this work, as he previously lectured at Lanchester Polytechnic. George’s other public works include The Naiad that is sited in the Upper Precinct, and The Phoenix, currently in Bull Yard.
Coventry University started the demolition process of the Alan Berry building in September and the sculpture and landscaped garden are expected to be unveiled in the summer of 2023.
We are hoping that George will be presenting his new design to us at the CovSoc AGM in April.