"Reclaim" Coal to Canopy
A public sculpture for Avant Homes’ Earl's Park development in Holmewood, commissioned by Junction Arts.
At the heart of Avant Homes’ new Earl's Park development in Holmewood stands Reclaim—a public sculpture that embodies a journey from industrial past to ecological renewal. The piece draws deeply from the mining heritage of the area and celebrates the quiet transformation of land once marked by coal, now softened by trees, birds, and community.
The project began with a series of creative sessions at Bramley Vale Primary School. Though not the final location of the sculpture, this school community became the wellspring of its ideas. Over four sessions, we explored with the children what it means for nature to reclaim a space—how spoil heaps and pit heads can give way to wildflowers, and how resilience lives in both people and landscapes. Through drawing, discussion, and hands-on relief sculpture, the pupils expressed their interpretations of both mining structures and the natural world taking hold once again.
Their contributions became the foundation of the final artwork. Reclaim is carved from UK-grown sequoia, a durable, sustainably sourced timber chosen for its strength and longevity in outdoor settings. Its form is deliberately dual in nature. Viewed in profile, the sculpture evokes the angular shapes of slag heaps and pit tops—a nod to the history written into the soil. But from above, the carved surface becomes a tree in relief, symbolizing growth, rebirth, and the deepening of community roots in this newly developed space.
Etched into the surface are words and fragments of poetry generated during the school sessions. These inscriptions—thoughtful, hopeful, and rooted in place—give voice to the children who helped shape the work, and connect the viewer not only to history but to possibility.
Just as its narrative balances past and future, the sculpture itself is designed to endure. Built with attention to grain orientation, natural strength, and minimal weak points, Reclaim is made to withstand the elements, public use, and time. Stainless steel fixings and concrete foundations provide secure installation, while its size and mass offer natural resistance to fire and vandalism. Where possible, we’ve designed the piece to be functional as well—offering seating and surfaces to touch, making it a true part of the public realm rather than an ornament set apart.
Reclaim stands now as a quiet but powerful marker in the landscape—a reminder that even ground once dug and darkened can be a place of growth, reflection, and belonging.
