Croydon Stands Tall was a 10-week art trail by Croydon Business Improvement District (BID) in collaboration with Wild in Art.
From 21st August to 27th October 2023, you could’ve found a herd of more than 60 little and large giraffe sculptures across Croydon town centre each designed and decorated by local artists, schools and communities.
Why we were standing tall for Croydon
As London Borough of Culture 2023, it was an exciting time for Croydon with a year-long programme of events planned to celebrate the borough’s unique identity.
As a Croydon Stands Tall giraffe sponsor, we were proud to support a campaign that enlivened Croydon town centre, brought its communities together, showcased creativity, and raised over £50k for charity Crisis Skylight Croydon.
Working on two healthcare projects in Croydon – a hospital refurbishment and a new build modular community diagnostics centre – I was particularly keen to get involved with Croydon Stands Tall. It’s been a great way for our London studio to engage with the wider community and deliver positive impact in the borough.
Adam Wadsley, Architect
Meet Butterfly Effect
Butterfly Effect is the name of our 8ft tall giraffe.
The design, by local artist Jeru Nomi, is a celebration of the colour and beauty of nature, and how humanity interacts with it. Each element is made using one line.
About the artist
Jeru Nomi is a multidisciplinary artist from Chessington. Her practice is focussed on her unique style which she calls ‘one line drawings’. The main body of the image is made up using just lines, spirals or concentric circles. This, mixed with her layering and bright colour palette, often give her work a dream-like quality.
You’re having a (little) giraffe…
We also donated a blank, 4ft giraffe to Ridgeway Primary School as part of the Croydon Stands Tall Learning Programme. We tasked the school with naming, designing, and decorating it.
June-Bubble, as the little giraffe’s now known, is covered with unique spots made from pupils’ thumbprints, with larger spots designed by competition winners from each year group.
We were so blown away by the artistic talent of the school and awarded each winning ‘spot’ artist with two tickets to London Zoo.
Celebrating the artistic talent and energy in Croydon is exactly what this programme is about. We’re proud to be part of it.
Adam Wadsley, Architect
Grazing in London
Before delivering June-Bubble to her new home, we took her for a stroll around London to see the sights and some of our projects.
Herd the latest? Visit the official Croydon Stands Tall website here
Stick your neck out for Crisis
At the end of the trail, the large giraffes are auctioned to raise money for Crisis Skylight Croydon, a charity that supports people who are experiencing homelessness or are at risk of homelessness.
If you’d like to find out more about Croydon Stands Tall or our work in the borough, get in touch with Adam Wadsley.