Chatham Pumping Station
FrancisKnight was appointed by Medway Development Company to project manage the public art commission for Chatham Pumping Station. Nicole Mollett and José Den Hartog were appointed as the lead artists for this commission.
Chatham Waterfront, the focus of a multi-million-pound regeneration programme is being revitalised with new homes to provide waterfront living. Apartments will sit next to the River Medway with views across Chatham, Rochester and Strood.
Chatham Pumping Station was built in the 1960s, in a prominent location and visually stands out due to its red brick façade. The commission will enhance the building and the newly developed public plaza in front of it, making the Pumping Station a centrepiece of the revitalised waterfront.
Nicole Mollett is a socially engaged public artist who has delivered multiple projects across Kent, including Project Managing the ‘Draw Hope’ pavilion which took place in Chatham Riverside Park.
José Den Hartog is a Dutch ceramicist with many years of experience developing architectural public art commissions. They have collaborated since 2007, and have a shared passion for making artwork which is inspired by archival imagery, bringing together communities & creating a new sense of understanding of place. José’s involvement is supported by a grant from the Dutch Embassy.
Together, the artists are developing a large ceramic tiled mural for the Pumping Station. The commission will draw on the multi-layered history of water and the importance it plays in people’s lives, specifically in Chatham and Medway.
By illuminating the area’s profound maritime heritage, the river’s ecology, and the ingenuity of waterworks engineering, the commission captures the essence of the river as an essential element of the landscape and core part of local identity. The community’s connection to water, from broader historical contexts to individual experiences, has been informed through research from the Medway Archives, Greenwich Maritime Museum, and the Historic Dockyard.