Royals, Residents & a Rock Festival: Creating Reading’s New Front Door

Positioned at the entrance to Reading’s transformational Station Hill development, Royals, Residents & a Rock Festival welcomes hundreds of thousands of people each year as they arrive in the town by train. It is one of the first things visitors see and one of the last things they remember.

As the largest project undertaken by the Stuart Melrose studio to date, the installation brings together more than twenty years of exploring public art, engineering, material innovation and placemaking. More than simply a mural, it was conceived as Reading’s new front door: a vibrant celebration of the town’s people, places, history and culture.

For Stuart, creating a permanent artwork at the principal gateway to his hometown was both an enormous privilege and a significant responsibility.

A True Collaboration

The project brought together an exceptional team of creative specialists. Working alongside internationally recognised artist Kev Munday, Stuart Melrose developed the overall concept, material strategy, engineering and technical design.

Kev’s instantly recognisable visual language was combined with an architectural and lighting system capable of bringing the artwork to life by day and night. Commissioned by Lincoln MGT as part of the Station Hill regeneration, the installation forms a central part of Futurecity’s public art programme for Reading’s evolving town centre.

The team saw an opportunity to create something beyond a conventional mural: a large-scale illuminated artwork where engineering, architecture and illustration became inseparable.

Designed With Reading

The ambition was clear from the outset. This should never become artwork imposed upon Reading; it should become artwork created with Reading.

Working with Futurecity and an advisory group of local historians, councillors, heritage organisations, schools and community groups, the project evolved through consultation with more than one hundred local contributors and dozens of workshops across the town.

Children’s drawings, local memories, forgotten stories and treasured landmarks became woven into the final composition. Look closely and the mural reveals internationally recognised figures alongside local heroes, historic architecture, sporting achievements, wildlife, local businesses and, of course, Reading’s world-famous Rock Festival.

Engineering Light and Story

Rather than simply illuminating a mural, Stuart wanted light itself to become part of the storytelling. The solution combines precision-engineered aluminium with HI-MACS® Opal, chosen for its even light diffusion and durability in a busy public environment.

Behind the mural sits a system of more than 100,000 individually addressable LEDs. Each can be programmed independently to create animation, seasonal celebrations and special civic displays. The technology is highly sophisticated, yet the experience remains immediate and joyful.

At night, colour, movement and animation reveal another layer of the artwork. From a distance, it acts as a bold contemporary landmark; closer inspection reveals hundreds of researched details. It rewards both a five-second glance and a five-minute search for familiar faces and hidden references.

Rivers, Ruins & Regency

The commission also includes Rivers, Ruins & Regency, a second illuminated installation on Friar Street. Measuring approximately 3 × 2 metres, it uses the same aluminium, HI-MACS® Opal and programmable LED technology to guide people from Reading’s historic streets towards Station Hill.

Together, the two works create a connected journey through the town. Royals, Residents & a Rock Festival later won the 2025 HI-MACS® European Architecture & Design Awards, receiving international recognition for its use of material, engineering, community engagement and placemaking.

A Mural That Changes With the Town

The lighting does more than illuminate the mural. Subtle animations bring its characters to life: a blink, a wink or a small moment of movement that rewards people who stop and look more closely. Because every LED can be individually controlled, the artwork can also respond to the changing life of the town. The system can be operated live for events, while programmed displays can mark special moments throughout the year.

On Bonfire Night, fireworks can move across the façade. At Christmas, snow can fall around the characters as they appear in winter clothes. Spring can bring an entirely new seasonal atmosphere, while Valentine’s Day might see the mural filled with pink and red, with characters winking at passers-by.

This allows Royals, Residents & a Rock Festival to remain more than a fixed artwork. It can continue to surprise, celebrate and evolve with Reading.

Project Team: Thank you to all!

Concept, Design & Technical Development: Stuart Melrose.
Artwork: Kev Munday.
Client: Lincoln MGT.
Public Art Curator: Futurecity.
Material: HI-MACS® Opal, supplied by James Latham.
Fabrication: AGS Systems Ltd.
Lighting: Earlsmann Lighting.
Lighting Programming: Lee Savage.
Photography: Marcus Peel Photography.