Rail Diversions is a permanent public art commission integrated into the railings of One Grafton Street, developed as part of the building’s restoration in Mayfair. The commission was conceived as an embedded artwork that would sit quietly within the streetscape while rewarding close attention.

Royal Academician Tom Phillips was appointed to develop the work, drawing on his long-standing interest in language, pattern and site-specific detail. The sculptural frieze runs along the Grafton Street frontage, introducing rhythm and variation into the railings through abstracted text and linear forms that reference the layered histories of the area.

Rather than operating as a standalone artwork, Rail Diversions is woven into the fabric of the building, complementing the restored façade and the architectural character of Mayfair. The work demonstrates how artist-designed architectural elements can contribute cultural depth and identity through subtle, durable interventions in the public realm.

Rail Diversions demonstrates how artist-designed architectural elements can add cultural value and identity to a historic streetscape through a quiet, integrated intervention.

Photography by Ron Bambridge