NAR OUSE REGENERATION AREA (NORA)

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In 2000, I was commissioned as Master Planning Artist for the Nar Ouse Regeneration Area (NORA), a major riverside redevelopment in King’s Lynn, located along the Nar (a Site of Special Scientific Interest) and the River Ouse.

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I developed concepts for Diatom-inspired landmark features, including a striking 35-metre spire with an integrated shelter/kiosk. The design incorporated recycled glass to reflect the exquisite forms of microorganisms—especially diatom, symbolising water purity and ecological balance. These shimmering glass images were envisioned to be embedded within the tower structure, creating the effect of an 'eco-cathedral' rising from the landscape.

The base of the tower was designed to function as a community shelter, with steps and a ramp leading to a viewing platform, connecting people physically with the surrounding water and environment.

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The wider public art strategy focused on embedding meaningful, site-specific artworks into the regeneration scheme. It drew inspiration from ecological themes of rescue and renewal, particularly the work Beautiful Bulrushes, Remarkable Reeds: The Water Reclamation Miracles of Kaethe Seidel  in parallel with research of microorganisms and in particular scientific study of diatoms  as indicators of water quality.

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Working in collaboration with Sheils Flynn (Landscape Architects and Urban Designers) and Penny Anderson Associates (Ecologists), my role was to integrate artistic vision with the ecological and architectural planning for the site. The scheme was part of the national Millennium Communities Programme, supported by English Partnerships, the East of England Development Agency (EEDA), Norfolk County Council, King’s Lynn & West Norfolk Borough Council, and Morston Assets Ltd.

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This project aimed not just to regenerate land, but to create a living environment that celebrated the river’s natural resources, brought environmental awareness into public consciousness, and reconnected the community with nature.

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​Beautiful Bulrushes, Remarkable Reeds by Kaethe Siedel

 

Client
King’s Lynn & West Norfolk Borough Council
Morston Assets Ltd

Date
2000–2003

Design Team
Sheils Flynn (Landscape Architecture & Urban Design)
LSI Architects (Architecture)
WSP (Engineering)
Irene Rogan (Artist)
Penny Anderson Associates (Ecology)
WT Partnership (Quantity Surveyors)

Links
www.eeda.org.uk/656.asp

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