Portholes
Hampton Court Palace

About the project

Manufactured for Historic Royal Palaces, these twelve bespoke stainless steel porthole covers were produced for the Discovery Tower within the Magic Garden at Hampton Court Palace. Each cover incorporated a unique circular pattern developed around references to Tudor architecture and the Age of Discovery.

Measuring approximately 400mm in diameter, the individual covers were precision laser cut from stainless steel before being polished to a high finish. Each decorative face was then welded to a stainless steel tube approximately 100mm deep, forming a complete assembly designed to fit within the porthole openings in the tower walls.

A key requirement was maintaining the accuracy of the intricate laser cut patterns while producing twelve individually detailed components. As the portholes were installed within a public attraction, all exposed edges also required careful finishing to eliminate sharp surfaces and ensure the completed assemblies were suitable for their location.