The Chrysalis

By Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios and Matthew Leece

The Chrysalis first emerged in 2026 for the Forest of Imagination Festival at Entry Hill in Bath. Designed by architects from Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios and artist Matthew Leece, the outdoor classroom provided a sheltered place for workshops and performances as well as offering a calm space for reflection, rest, and connection with nature. The Chrysalis uses a series of repeating timber roof battens to create shifting patterns of dappled light and shade. The roof is clad with 300 recycled Boeing 747 aircraft windows, giving the structure a distinctive shimmering appearance while demonstrating the creative reuse of materials.

The project formed part of a longer-term vision to establish a permanent Art, Nature, and Community Park at Entry Hill. Following the site's transition from former golf course to public landscape, Forest of Imagination has become a testing ground for new forms of cultural and ecological infrastructure, bringing together artists, architects, educators, landscape designers, and local communities.