Once again, Partridge has collaborated with Sculpture by the Sea to celebrate local and international artists along Sydney’s iconic Bondi Beach to Tamarama trail. John Petrie and Clayton Blake’s artworks are two of many installations we are bringing to life. Our focus was on ensuring the structural integrity of the artworks while maintaining the artistic vision.
John Petrie’s 4.9 tonne stone sculpture appears to defy the laws of physics. Balancing a norite boulder upon a marble block was already a challenging feat, let alone cutting, sliding upwards, and reattaching a slice of the boulder eccentrically on a slope. Clayton Blake’s monumental stainless-steel rocket ship needed to stand more than 8 metres high while being supported only at its base.
Clayton Blake, ‘Smoko Seat’, Sculpture by the Sea, Bondi 2024. Photo Charlotte Curd
Our team meticulously calculated the wind loading and live loading on the sculptures, and gave careful consideration to the connection detailing to not only certify the artworks but also meet the artists’ expectations. For John Petrie’s artwork, we detailed hidden threaded rod connections that were epoxied into the stone at precise and hidden locations to maintain the illusion. For Clayton Blake’s artwork, we designed a steel plinth frame attached to a concrete foundation requiring accurate dimensions and anchor locations. The engineering design outcome of both sculptures was necessary to provide the sufficient stability required to ensure the safety of the community.
By working alongside talented artists, fabricators and the Sculpture by the Sea crew, our team contributed to Australia’s largest outdoor sculpture exhibition that continues to excite and inspire our community.
Feature image: John Petrie, ‘To the Sea of Tranquility’, Sculpture by the Sea, Bondi 2024. Photo Gareth Carr
