Rochester Station

Integrating public art in a major new transport hub

FrancisKnight were appointed by Network Rail and Medway Council to manage the commissioning of integrated public artwork for the new Rochester Station Development. 

In April 2015 artist Katayoun Dowlatshahi was appointed to produce work for the new Rochester Station building. FrancisKnight facilitated the commission and worked closely with the artist to realise the project. Spending time at the Medway Archives and Local Studies Centre, Rochester Bridge Trust, King’s School Rochester and Rochester Cathedral, Katayoun was inspired by the significant history and architecture of Rochester as the starting point for her designs. 

The final artwork for the main station building offers glimpses of one of Rochester’s greatest assets: interior images of the cathedral photographed by the artist and edited to emphasise the drama of the building and one’s experience of the space through colour, light and architectural form. She has highlighted some significant details such as the 14th century Chapter Library door and the medieval fresco depicting The Wheel of Fortune. The artwork was also inspired by a medieval map conveying the pilgrim’s journey from London to Jerusalem, via Rochester and Canterbury. In a similar vein in 1675 cartographer John Ogilby Esq produced a series of vertical London to Dover maps embellished with the image of a scroll.