Mayor of London Fund x Euston Town BID x Jasmine Pradissitto

Innovative pollution-absorbing public sculpture on Drummond Street, London

We worked on the arts and culture strategy of our partner Euston Town (London, UK), and artist Jasmine Pradissitto presented a climate-change inspired sculpture to create a more sustainable environment for the residents and passers-by from the neighbourhood. This arts and culture strategy represents our commitment to helping to create a thriving creative scene, driven by the people who use the public realm.

Euston Town is unveiling this sculpture by artist and physicist Jasmine Pradissitto, on the renowned Camden People’s Theatre at the entrance of Drummond Street, Euston. The innovative material Noxtek, which absorbs nitrogen dioxide from car fumes and transforms it into a harmless gas, signifies efforts to create a green, sustainable neighbourhood led by a community of independent businesses and residents. The installation is part of a wider scheme to reimagine the public realm with bespoke street furniture, new shop frontages and creative shared garden space.

“Breathe” has been installed on the renovated Camden People’s Theatre and will represent the growing conversation around climate change while inviting people to consider its message of galvanising positive action and empowerment. It sits at the entrance to Drummond Street, which is seeing some major changes over the coming year including a reduction in car parking spaces to make room for colourful street furniture, and the creation of shared garden space. The neighbourhood sits on the Euston Green Link, a walking route between Euston Station and Regents Park which avoids the pollution of Euston Road.

Jasmine Padissito designed the sculpture in response to London’s pollution and its impact on our environment and climate. She teamed up with Alsitek who have given her exclusive use of their geopolymer NoxTek, The unique sculpture represents a multidisciplinary approach to climate solutions, combining art, creativity and discussion with science and engineering.

The wider regeneration of Drummond Street is being led by Euston Town and local traders as they adapt to a changing urban environment and develop their offer as a food destination. The profound message behind this sculpture will be complemented by a variety of green infrastructure within the neighbourhood, and a garden that will provide shade, biodiversity and separation from the bustle of the area’s major physical transformation.

Drummond Street will be launching its new “strategy” in June, as HS2 works paused and the road can be reopened, allowing customers to enjoy al fresco dining, the reduction of cars and a more green and pleasant environment. “Breathe” will have vital significance as a creative representation of the journey our city’s neighbourhoods must make towards sustainability.

In partnership with MTArt Agency and supported by Camden Council’s Art Development team, Euston Town BID commissioned “Breathe” in 2019 as part of their arts and culture strategy that we wrote.