Goodwood’s gravity-defying sculptures

The Duke of Richmond was working as a commercial photographer and Gerry Judah was a set designer when they hatched the idea of creating a focal point for the Festival of Speed held at the Duke’s family’s Goodwood House.

Known as the Central Feature, Judah has designed a huge metal sculpture to represent the festival’s featured marque, and often to appear to defy the laws of physics.

For the 2019 Goodwood Festival of Speed, taking place July 4-7, that featured marque was Aston Martin.

“Seventy years ago, Aston Martin first raced at Goodwood and, 10 years later, our histories were forever linked when it sealed the 1959 World Sportscar Championship here at Goodwood Motor Circuit in September of that year,” the Duke is quoted in a news release. 

“It was also in 1959 that Aston Martin launched its works at Newport Pagnell – so 2019 is a perfect time for us to celebrate Aston Martin’s past, present and future success.”

To celebrate that history, Judah created a 30-meter (100-foot) tall “swoop of steel with the Le Mans winning Aston martin DBR1 racing towards the sky on a never-ending race track,” according to Aston Martin Lagonda. 

As much as 150 tons of steel are used in the Central Feature construction.

“The process can take anywhere between four to nine months,” Judah said. “It all depends on how soon the featured marque gets involved. I will then sit down with the company to get an idea of what they want to express, their spirit and vision.” 

The Duke of Richmond has remained very active in the process.  “There is definitely a form of collaboration with the His Grace,” Judah said. Because of our history, there’s a lot of dialogue as we both know where we want the Central Feature to go.”

Judah’s father was from Burma and his mother from India, where he was born and lived until he was 10 and his family moved to London. His art has been inspired by the dramatic landscapes of India, the ornate architecture of its religious buildings and the austere post-war British city of his teenage years.

He studied as an architectural draftsman before enrolling in college to study art and design, and became known for his set designs for opera and ballet, the Royal Shakespeare Company, the BBC and British museums.

“Every Central Feature is built by closely working with engineers and fabricators,” Judah explained. “It’s vital to collaborate on a project this size this to ensure the Central Features are structurally sound and can withstand the elements for several days.”   

And if they appear to defy the laws of physics, that’s all the better. For example, in 2018, the featured marque was Porsche and while the Central Feature rose 52 meters (170 feet) into the sky, its steel spine was only 12 centimeters (less than 5 inches) in diameter. 

Engineering innovations also are used in the Central Feature construction. For example, the 2015 Lotus sculpture was built by welding 6mm flat metal sheets together.

“The way we cut and welded the sheets together created a stiff monocoque,” Judah said. “The shape and skin of the Central Feature became its structure” in a 3D infinity loop design made of 11 sections. 

Judah has done 23 Central Features for Goodwood’s Festival of Speed. If he has a favorite, he said it’s the 2011 Central Feature that celebrated the 50th anniversary of the E-type.

“It was just a very holistic design,” he said, involving 150 tons of painted 12mm recycled steel that previously was used as gas pipes. 

That Jaguar Central Feature also is the only one that has not been recycled; Jaguar has plans to display the sculpture at its factory.

Judah said his goal for the Central Feature is to convey what the subject means in a broader context.

“They represent dynamics, speed, engineering and celebration – everything the Festival stands for.”

Goodwood Festival of Speed Central Features

2019: Aston Martin — 70th Anniversary of racing at Goodwood and 60th of 1-2 finish at Le Mans

2018: Porsche – 70^th Anniversary

2017:  Bernie Ecclestone – Life and career of Bernie Ecclestone

2016:  BMW – Motorsports success

2015:  Mazda – Motorsports and Japanese heritage 

2014:  Mercedes-Benz – 120^th Anniversary in Motorsports

2013:  Porsche – 50 Years of 911

2012:  Lotus – Past, Present, Future

2011:  Jaguar – 50 Years of E-Type

2010:  Alfa Romeo – 100^th Anniversary

2009:  Audi – 100^th Anniversary

2008:  Land Rover – 60^th Anniversary

2007:  Toyota – 75^th Anniversary

2006:  Renault – 100^th Anniversary of Grand Prix racing

2005:  Honda – Return to Formula 1

2004:  Rolls Royce – 100^th Anniversary

2003:  Ford – 100^th Anniversary

2002:  Renault – Return to Formula 1

2001:  Mercedes-Benz – 100^th Anniversary

2000:  Jaguar – Formula 1 debut 

1999:  Audi – 90^th Anniversary

1998:  Porsche – 50^th Anniversary

1997:  Ferrari – 50^th Anniversary