
Alkerden Hub
A community hub for Ebbsfleet Garden City
FrancisKnight has been appointed by Eastern Quarry Limited (EQL) to curate a significant public art commission for the Alkerden Hub, working closely with the design team HTA architects.
Artist Jo Chapman has been commissioned to create the new public artwork and is currently working on concept ideas for the foyer area of the Hub, collaborating with the design team to reflect the building design and interiors as well as the surrounding chalk landscape. Jo is exploring a multilayered narrative, that delves into and makes visual the entanglement between art, industry and geology. Jo will also engage proactively with the local community to co-design the artwork, embedding a unique layer of detail into the project.
Alkerden Hub will be the main community building for the Whitecliffe development, in Ebbsfleet Garden City, situated in Alkerden Market Centre. The hub will offer various facilities, including a lifelong learning centre, library, health facilities, performance spaces, and a multi-faith centre. It sits in the heart of Whitecliffe Market Square, adjacent to the fast-track route used by local buses. The hub’s frontage features a spacious foyer, envisioned as a dynamic and animated space, with gardens and seating for public enjoyment.
Whitecliffe, formerly Eastern Quarry, is a vast development site managed by Henley Camland. The area is part of Ebbsfleet Garden City under the Ebbsfleet Development Corporation. The development encompasses Castle Hill, Alkerden and Ashmere, with Alkerden acting as the central market hub.
Henley Camland has developed a public art strategy for Whitecliffe, aligning with the larger vision for Ebbsfleet. The Alkerden Hub Public Art Commission draws on this strategy, particularly focusing on creating new works that resonate with the unique location, its cultural history, and contributing to a distinctive place to live, work, and visit.
FrancisKnight have produced a public art plan for the Major Urban Park in Alkerden, aligning it with broader ambitions to create a vibrant and unique space in Ebbsfleet Garden City.