VINTAGE FURNITURE DUO COMMEMORATE CARLISLE’S MODERNIST ARCHITECTURE IN CHRISTMAS BAUBLE
VINTAGE FURNITURE DUO COMMEMORATE CARLISLE’S MODERNIST ARCHITECTURE IN CHRISTMAS BAUBLE
It’s been flooded, it’s been snubbed and it’s been threatened with demolition – but this year, Carlisle’s Civic Centre is being celebrated and could be hanging from your Christmas tree.
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Carlisle’s Civic Centre may have dominated the city’s skyline since the sixties but this year a mini version of the building could be hanging in homes all across the region.
Absolutely Nice Vintage with the help of Studio Walden, both businesses based in Carlisle, have produced a retro style glass bauble of the city’s Civic Centre building, with a limited run of 500 hand painted baubles due to be released in October.
Damian Sealey and Mark Howlette, owners of Absolutely Nice Vintage, sell vintage furniture and homeware online from their studio in Atlas Works, Carlisle.
Mark said: “A couple of years ago we had the idea to produce local Carlisle landmark baubles as this nostalgic style of Christmas product has become increasingly popular. We chose the Civic Centre to launch this project as it is one of only a few examples of Brutalist Mid 20th Century architecture within our region and deserves to be celebrated as part of the city’s wide and varied history. Even more so as part of the building has now sadly been demolished”.
While the building itself still sparks much debate over it’s design, there is a special personal connection to the Civic Centre for Damian. He said: “We’ve always loved the building, but it is particularly meaningful to celebrate it in this way as my Dad worked as an architect in the building from 1975 until 1995. I have fond memories of visiting my dad Roger in his office on the top floor when I was young”.
“I can’t imagine he would have thought the building he worked in back in the seventies would have been hanging on a Christmas tree in 2022”.
Absolutely Nice Vintage worked with Vincent Walden, from Studio Walden to create the final bauble design. Vincent said “I wasn’t a previous fan of the building but through the process of working with Absolutely Nice Vintage on this project, I’ve come to adore it”.
While Mark and Damian have always admired the building, doing their research for the project highlighted the importance of the structure even more. Damian said: “After researching the building we came across a plethora of wonderful photographs and news articles, which made us appreciate even more how modern and exciting this style of architecture must have been at the time. The building and remarkable interior were built with some of the best quality materials available which is not very well known and is something we should be proud of”.
The Civic Centre, on Rickergate, was opened on 12 March 1964. The main office block building is 11 stories high and stands 135ft above ground level. Mark added: “Overall, the bauble is a bit of fun which is sure to spark plenty of conversations, much like the building itself. It’s also likely to be of interest to fans of Brutalist and Mid Century architecture along with collectors of novelty and kitsch”.
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The Civic Centre baubles will be on sale from 3rd October 2022 priced at £15.00 each.
Available to purchase from absolutelynice.co.uk, the Absolutely Nice Vintage showroom,
Ashbridge & Brown, Tullie House Museum and Carlisle Tourist Information Centre.
