UAP Urban Art Projects

UAP Urban Art Projects Incredible things don’t just happen; They’re created, nurtured, believed in. Spanning art, architectu

Incredible things don’t just happen; they’re created, nurtured, believed in. Arts, culture, and creativity have always played a vital role in bringing people together. We continue this tradition with an enduring belief that creativity can inspire incredible possibilities. Established in 1993 by brothers Matt and Dan Tobin, their modest Brisbane practice has evolved into a global art and design

studio and workshop. Today, our network comprises three key studios and facilities in New York, Brisbane and Shanghai, and seven worldwide satellite offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Chengdu, Shenzhen, Singapore, Los Angeles and Riyadh. From the design studio to the factory floor, we work across all aspects of the creative process, from commissioning and curatorial services, concept development, and design assistance to engineering, fabrication, and installation. With an ingrained culture of collaboration, our diverse team of creative specialists, strategists and practitioners share an enduring vision for the future. By pairing exceptional strategies and manufacturing capabilities with our team’s unrivalled dedication to excellence, we ensure that our generation creates timeless and relevant objects, ideas, and places that will inspire and connect people for generations to come. As a company, this is the common ground on which we move forward.

Mika Utzon Popov, ‘Inner Styrke’, 2025“Through reflection and narrative, there are opportunities to create anchoring poi...
08/28/2026

Mika Utzon Popov, ‘Inner Styrke’, 2025

“Through reflection and narrative, there are opportunities to create anchoring points from which the community can share a common space, common history and common future.” — Mika Utzon Popov

‘Inner Styrke,’ offers a unique advantage through its visibility from multiple angles and heights, thanks to the varying street levels. This location serves as a dynamic backdrop for a piece inspired by ancient geological geometries, representing a large meteor that appears to have landed and cracked open, anchoring the corner entrance. With dimensions of 2.01m (H) x 2.01m (W) x 0.65m (D), the artwork features contrasting textures, showcasing a rugged, textured cast bronze with patina on one side and a smooth, polished surface on the other. This duality invites viewers to explore both the enigmatic exterior and its glowing interior, symbolizing inner strength.

As people move along Ellis St at Ethos Chatswood or approach the main entrance, ‘Inner Styrke’ creates a shift in perspective through its tilted axis and slight cantilever, ensuring the work feels alive and dynamic.

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Image Credit: Liam Vongmany, courtesy of UAP | Urban Art Projects and Central Element

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Mika Utzon Popov, ‘Inner Styrke’, 2025‘Inner Styrke’ began with a digital design before creating a detailed pattern. It ...
08/26/2026

Mika Utzon Popov, ‘Inner Styrke’, 2025

‘Inner Styrke’ began with a digital design before creating a detailed pattern. It was then translated to a mould and worked on directly by Popov. Once he was happy with the form, it was cast in eight sections that were then carefully welded together to form one cohesive piece.

After welding the work, the inside face of the meteor was smoothed, and a light polish was applied to give the surface a reflective quality that highlights the material's unique nuances. In contrast, the exterior face was designed to mimic rock texture with a black patina finish, giving it a natural, rugged appearance. Finally, the completed bronze meteor was securely fixed to the concrete roof of the hydrant booster.

The intricate pattern created by Popov at our Brisbane Foundry, required great care from the artist and team. Each element is unique, adding a personal touch to the artwork. The Melbourne team worked diligently with Mika during the concept design phase on multiple iterations to explore different designs and scales of the work, to ensure his vision could be achieved on budget.

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Image Credit: Rachel See, courtesy of UAP | Urban Art Projects

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Mika Utzon Popov, ‘Inner Styrke’, 2025The Curatorial Vision creates an accessible and transformative space in Chatswood,...
08/24/2026

Mika Utzon Popov, ‘Inner Styrke’, 2025

The Curatorial Vision creates an accessible and transformative space in Chatswood, inspired by the materials used in the development, particularly metal.

Positioned as the vibrant core of Chatswood, Ethos Chatswood serves as a catalyst for suburban transformation through "Energetic Exchange," promoting innovative ideas and encouraging reflection on the landscapes.

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Image Credit: Rachel See, courtesy of UAP | Urban Art Projects

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Mika Utzon Popov, ‘Inner Styrke’, 2025Mika Utzon Popov is an artist of both Australian and Danish heritage, born in Cope...
08/24/2026

Mika Utzon Popov, ‘Inner Styrke’, 2025

Mika Utzon Popov is an artist of both Australian and Danish heritage, born in Copenhagen in 1971. His diverse body of work spans various media, including site-specific sculptural installations, design, and drawing.

Commissioned by Central Element, his latest installation, ‘Inner Styrke’, was crafted in collaboration with our Brisbane team. Together, we merged innovative design with the vibrant spirit of the Chatswood community, showcasing a unique blend of art and architecture. The installation aims to enhance the urban landscape, inviting visitors to engage with the space and spark conversations around creativity and connection within the city.

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Image Credit: Rachel See, courtesy of UAP | Urban Art Projects

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Katz Maihi and Beronia Scott, ‘Wāhine’, 2026Wāhine is a celebration of Māori culture, identity, and storytelling. Create...
08/21/2026

Katz Maihi and Beronia Scott, ‘Wāhine’, 2026

Wāhine is a celebration of Māori culture, identity, and storytelling. Created as a universal representation of Māori womanhood rather than a portrait of any individual, the sculpture embodies strength, presence, and connection. Rich with cultural symbolism, every detail, from the adornments she carries to the textures woven throughout the form, has been developed to honour Māori artistic traditions and cultural knowledge.

Through extensive consultation and collaboration, the artwork has been shaped to ensure authenticity, creating a meaningful landmark for both local communities and visitors alike.

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Image Credit: David St. George, courtesy of Auckland Council

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Katz Maihi and Beronia Scott, ‘Wāhine’, 2026'Wāhine' emerged through a collaborative design process led by artists Katz ...
08/20/2026

Katz Maihi and Beronia Scott, ‘Wāhine’, 2026

'Wāhine' emerged through a collaborative design process led by artists Katz Maihi and Beronia Scott, combining digital development with ongoing community consultation. As the form evolved, digital models were shared with artists and community members, creating opportunities for feedback and cultural input that impacted each stage of refinement. This approach ensured the work remained grounded in both artistic vision and cultural knowledge, with particular attention paid to the design and significance of the Korowai and other customary elements.

Once approved, the sculpture moved from the digital world into our workshop. The base pattern was 3d printed. Katz hand sculpted the cultural embellishments including the Hei Tiki (pendant), Heru (hair comb), and other cultural details embedded within the work. The Korowai was 3d modelled in close collaboration with Scott, to reflect the qualities of a traditional woven cloak.

Cast in bronze, the sculpture was then finished with a bespoke patina applied with the artists, with carefully considered highlights allowing bronze and gold tones to come through the surface.

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Image Credit: Rachel See, Courtesy of UAP | Urban Art Projects

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Katz Maihi and Beronia Scott, ‘Wāhine’, 2026Katz Maihi is of Ngāti Whātua o Orakei, Ngāti Whātua ki Kaipara, Tainui, Te ...
08/17/2026

Katz Maihi and Beronia Scott, ‘Wāhine’, 2026

Katz Maihi is of Ngāti Whātua o Orakei, Ngāti Whātua ki Kaipara, Tainui, Te Waiohua, and Ngā Puhi descent. He is an accomplished artist, musician, carver and Tā moko artist. Since its inception, Toitu Design has been a leader in mahi toi and has built a reputation for expertise, authenticity, and the highest-quality standards.

Beronia Scott is an inspiring leader of mahi toi through her skills of raranga, the art of Māori weaving and is the lead weaver at Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei. Scott started her journey with the teachings from Aunty Alice Pihema continued learning through Te Wānanga o Aotearoa. With all her knowledge, she has continued Aunty Alice’s teachings by sharing these traditional practices through whānau wānanga over several years.

Working with our Brisbane team, Maihi and Scott came together to create ‘Wāhine’. Auckland Council commissioned this artwork that is located at the new Te Waihorotiu station entrance, part of the new City Rail Link-enabled network.

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Image Credit: Rachel See, courtesy of UAP

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We’re getting ready to review the best of public art in 2026, in collaboration with Artsy.Soon, we’ll announce this year...
08/16/2026

We’re getting ready to review the best of public art in 2026, in collaboration with Artsy.

Soon, we’ll announce this year’s contributing curators and begin another journey through the public artworks that have defined the year.

While we wait, revisit where it all began with Public Art in Review: Volume 1 - 2019 - 2023, bringing together five years of public art, with perspectives from 27 curators and more than 58 artists and collectives from around the world.

Already have your copy? Great. If not, now’s a good time to add one to your shelf.

Public Art in Review Volume 1 is available via the link in our bio.

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Image Credit: Chris Roque, courtesy of UAP | Urban Art Projects

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Alison Page, 'Dreaming of the Ancestors', 2026Across the former David Jones building on Castlereagh Street, artist Aliso...
08/09/2026

Alison Page, 'Dreaming of the Ancestors', 2026

Across the former David Jones building on Castlereagh Street, artist Alison Page has created 'Dreaming of the Ancestors'- a series of five works that trace an Ancestral connection to Country through the heart of the city.

Alison Page is a descendant of the Dharawal and Yuin people and is an award-winning creative at the intersection of Aboriginal art and design.

UAP curated and managed the commission end to end- from writing the public art strategy and curatorial vision, managing the concept design competition, through to fabrication at our Brisbane foundry and installation on site- working alongside architects fjcstudio, the project was developed by Cbus Property and built by Scentre Group.

Over the coming days we'll share each of the five works, and a look at how they were made.

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Image credit: Alison Page, Dreaming of the Ancestors, 2025. Renders: fjcstudio

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We recently welcomed a group of creatives for an intensive day sculpting workshop led by Darien Pullen and Michael Misc...
08/05/2026

We recently welcomed a group of creatives for an intensive day sculpting workshop led by Darien Pullen and Michael Miscamble .

Throughout the day, participants explored a range of hand-modelling techniques for lost-wax bronze casting. One of the unique qualities of the lost-wax process is its ability to transform virtually any form, regardless of its complexity, into metal. It is an ancient technique that continues to inspire new ways of thinking about making, with the potential to inform contemporary architecture, public art, and design.

The workshop was held at UAP's headquarters in Brisbane. Thank you to everyone who participated and helped make the workshop such a rewarding experience.

To join the next sculpture workshop at UAP Brisbane on 28th August email, Michael at [email protected].

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