CBRE OPENS DOORS TO ART COLLABORATION
CBRE has joined forces with Birmingham School of Art to produce an original art installation for the city.
The resulting film projection, called “Opening Doors”, will be visible to members of the public passing the property consultancy’s Birmingham HQ at 55 Temple Row.
CBRE commissioned the installation from emerging local artists Billy Plante and David Poole. The duo, both alumni of Birmingham School of Art in Margaret Street, collaborated to produce the nine minute piece following a shortlisting exercise involving CBRE’s Birmingham staff.
The film takes viewers through the doorways of interesting Midlands’ buildings – some of which the public has no access to – and explores the spaces beyond.
On the journey, heritage doors lead into modern offices; industrial shutters roll up to reveal libraries; nondescript entrances reveal grand rooms and small doors open out on to cavernous spaces and even outer space.
When we moved to our new offices we wanted to make use of the expansive frontage overlooking St Philip’s cathedral. We wanted to create something dynamic that would add interest to our reception area, but could also be shared with the general public. The film is projected onto our office frontage, so is visible to all.
Billy and David’s resulting work perfectly encapsulates what we do as a firm – opening the doors of the many buildings we market and manage on behalf of our clients, as well as acting as introducers. It is thought provoking, interesting and fun.
John Wigley, course director at Birmingham School of Art, said: “The collaboration with CBRE has been an excellent opportunity to demonstrate and share our skills and work with a significant and internationally recognised company to realise such an exciting artwork.”
The full video installation can be viewed here:
Further details on the background to the project, and interviews with Martin Guest, John Wigley, Billy Plante and David Poole, can be viewed here: