Randall Pattern Play
Randall Pattern Play by Maria Gasparian is a permanent public artwork commissioned by Wandsworth Council. Located within the Surrey Lane Estate in Battersea, the installation transforms Randall Close into a vibrant and engaging public space - an 'outdoor living room' that invites play, rest, and community interaction.
The work features two large glazed brick sculptural benches, clusters of modular seating cubes, and a series of decorative brick paviours that run through the site like a woven carpet. These elements incorporate embedded game boards - chess, backgammon, and noughts and crosses - encouraging social interaction across generations.
Inspired by the 19th-century Jesse and Henry Rust Mosaic Tile Company, formerly based nearby, the project references local Arts and Crafts heritage through its colour palette and abstract motifs. The artwork design was developed through engagement with local residents and students from St John Bosco College, who also contributed to earlier hoarding designs with artists Maria and Augusta Akerman. This ensures the final installation reflects the voices of the community it serves as well as local heritage.
Crafted from bespoke glazed bricks, the benches combine a variety of brick bonds and feature chamfered edges for safety. Contrasting glazed and unglazed finishes add visual and tactile interest while ensuring durability and slip resistance.
The decorative paviours were made using a hybrid process of digital fabrication, hand-inlaying, and industrial production—merging traditional craft with contemporary technology. Clay brick was chosen for its longevity, minimal maintenance, and architectural relevance.
Through colour, pattern, and form, Randall Pattern Play contributes a joyful, meaningful presence to the public realm, enriching the urban fabric and fostering a strong sense of place.
Maria Gasparian is an award-winning ceramic artist based in London - Find out more.
The public art strategy and production was led by Susie Gray on behalf of Wandsworth Council.
Randall Pattern Play
Randall Pattern Play is a documentary exploring the creation of the public artwork of the same name by Maria Gasparain, a London-based ceramic artist, designer, and architect.
Commissioned by Wandsworth Council and situated within the Surrey Lane Estate in Battersea, South-West London, the installation reimagines Randall Close as a vibrant, welcoming public space—an “outdoor living room” that encourages play, rest, and community interaction.
The film follows Maria’s creative journey as she draws on the neighbourhood’s heritage of arts, crafts, patterns, and material traditions. By translating these influences into her design, the project both honours the area’s history and reimagines it as a vibrant, shared space for the community today.
Film and photography by Floro Azqueta (@azqueta_arts) - Find out more.
