The No.1616 Fence is a 13-metre-high installation created by artist Rana Begum and engineering studio Webb Yates for the London Festival of Architecture. Constructed from powder-coated industrial mesh typically used for fencing, the tower reimagines a material associated with boundaries and exclusion as a vertical public landmark. Installed outside Space House, the structure draws formal inspiration from electricity pylons, using repeating triangular geometries and truss-like patterns to create a lightweight lattice that shifts in appearance depending on the viewer’s position.
The project continues an ongoing collaboration between Begum and Webb Yates exploring themes of borders, access, and public space. The porous mesh surface changes visually as light and viewing angles alter its density, allowing the structure to appear solid from some perspectives and nearly disappear from others. Designed with disassembly in mind, the installation uses standardized components that require minimal cutting or welding, enabling the entire structure to be reused or relocated after the festival.
Image Credit: Andy Stagg
What Makes This Trend Stand Out
- Reconfigurable Public Art
- Temporary landmarks built from standardized, reusable components point to new models for civic placemaking that can move between sites without creating permanent waste.
- Industrial Material Reframing
- Common infrastructure materials such as fencing mesh are gaining cultural value as designers transform utilitarian products into expressive architectural surfaces.
- Perceptual Urban Structures
- Lightweight lattices that shift with light and viewing angle create immersive public experiences where minimal material use produces high visual impact.
Sectors Adopting This
- Public Art
- Festival installations and civic commissions are expanding through modular fabrication systems that make large-scale artworks easier to assemble, relocate, and reuse.
- Construction Materials
- Industrial mesh, trusses, and powder-coated components are finding new demand in architectural applications that blur the line between building product and design feature.
- Urban Design
- Porous structures inspired by infrastructure offer cities flexible ways to introduce landmarks, wayfinding elements, and social commentary into underused public spaces.
