Ipswich communities construct giant structure from cardboard

The artwork was estimated to have used 1,500 carboard boxes, with a height of 25 meters (82 feet)

Local communities came together to build a giant cardboard building in a town centre.

A replica of the Wolsey Gate was constructed in Ipswich over the weekend, made entirely from cardboard boxes and tape.

The piece was designed by French artist Olivier Grossetête, in collaboration with Spill Festival.

It was built by hand and stood on the Cornhill for two days, before it was deconstructed on Sunday evening.

Members of public were asked to submit ideas for landmarks, with Wolsey Gate being chosen for construction

Mr Grossetête has been building cardboard structures for several years, as part of his monumental constructions project.

"The aim of the project is as much about sharing the experience of a collective construction as the final work of art," he said on his website.

Robin Deacon, artistic director and CEO of Spill Festival, said: "The first image I saw of an Olivier Grossetête sculpture was a floating bridge held up by giant helium balloons. I saw that image and thought 'I want to get something like this for Ipswich'."

Robin Deacon said responses to the building had been "really quite moving"

Inspired by the story of Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, who was one of Henry VIII's Lord Chancellors, the replica was constructed by people of all ages, during workshops at the town hall.

Wolsey's Gate, on College Street, dates from 1533 and is all that remains of Wolsey's plan to create a college in Ipswich along the lines of Cambridge or Oxford.

"We've worked with school groups, community groups and passers by over the week to construct the constituent parts of this building," said Mr Deacon.

On Saturday, the pieces were taped together in Cornhill, Ipswich.

Spill Festival features artworks by local and international artists

"Layer by layer we built it and lifted it by hand. It took us from nine in the morning until seven in the evening," Mr Deacon continued.

After standing in the town centre for two days, members of the artistic team pulled down the artwork, before inviting members of the public to help deconstruct it.

"It's a really beautiful coming together of people who have built this collectively and achieved this common cause," said Mr Deacon.