Young Street

Architectural Jeweller

Shaun Leane launches major bronze artwork, Arbour, with the opening of the 21 Young Street building façade in Kensington

July 2018 – Shaun Leane’s debut in the realm of architecture and public art has been marked with the opening of the 21 Young Street apartment building in prestigious Kensington. Commissioned by Futurecity and Grainger plc to design the building’s exterior metalwork, Leane was appointed to undertake the largest scale commission in the UK by a jewellery designer.

The launch of 21 Young Street is the culmination of a five-year long project and pushes the boundaries of conventional design

The project adds a further dimension to Leane’s design legacy, contributing to a hugely successful period for the jewellery House following the 2017 Sotheby’s New York auction of Leane’s couture archive.

Arbour projects the greenery of neighbouring Kensington Square onto 21 Young Street and compromises 1,850 bronze sculpted leaves and three-dimensional branches. Weaving their way across the façade of the building, the density of the leaves varies on each balcony as if blowing in an autumnal breeze. Leane wanted to capture both the fragility and strength of nature in the metalwork, a theme which heavily reflects Leane’s signature jewellery aesthetic.

The artwork is crafted in Phosphor Bronze and weighs in excess of 4 tonnes. Each of the balcony railings is unique and features hand formed curves with the leaves cast and grafted into stems. Leane chose to work with British award-winning architectural and sculptural metalworkers Chris Brammall Ltd who handmade the structure to Leane’s specifications.

A permanent display at V&A Museum in London

In recognition of the ground-breaking nature of the project, the metalwork will also be on permanent display at the V&A Museum. This means that Leane’s work will now feature across three of the gallery’s collections; jewellery, fashion and metalwork.

“I believe that with creative freedom, innovation can truly flourish. To be invited to create a piece of art such as this and for it to be protected for 125 years is truly an honour and testament to our future legacy”

- SHAUN LEANE

“We are delighted one of Britain’s most innovative fine jewellers has chosen our project to translate his iconic work at a monumental scale and with his meticulous eye for detail and master craftsmanship’’.

- GRAINGER PLC.

“I believe that with creative freedom, innovation can truly flourish. To be invited to create a piece of art such as this and for it to be protected for 125 years is truly an honour and testament to our future legacy”

- SHAUN LEANE

“We are delighted one of Britain’s most innovative fine jewellers has chosen our project to translate his iconic work at a monumental scale and with his meticulous eye for detail and master craftsmanship’’.

- GRAINGER PLC.