Visitors to the centre of Ipswich in eastern England on Saturday 21 October were treated to the spectacular sight of a local historical landmark replicated, full-size, in cardboard and lifted off the ground by dozens of volunteers.

Since 2003, artist Olivier Grossetête has built over 200 monumental constructions from cardboard and tape, at locations around the world.

As part of his unique artistic quest he has visited five continents and recruited thousands of people to help.

In October 2023 he visited Ipswich and with a team of eager volunteers in the Cornhill, the town's central square, built a replica of Wolsey’s Gate, the city's main historical landmark, in just cardboard and tape.

Better still, they built it to look as the Gate would have been new, rather than in the real sixteenth century gate's current, rather worn state.

Carefully following detailed plans, the cardboard builders started with the top section and then lifted it in the air to add lower sections, which were secured with regular parcel tape.

The finished monument took around nine hours to complete and was nearly 25m (82 feet) tall.

But whereas the original gate has stood for almost 600 years, the last remnant of a school founded by Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, the cardboard recreation has a much shorter life.

It was demolished later the next day and the cardboard flattened for recycling by the same volunteers that made it.

The project was part of town's Spill Festival.

Since 2003, artist Olivier Grossetête has built monumental constructions from Cardboard across the world. He has created more than 200 different ones, visited five continents and recruited thousands of people in his adventures made of cardboard and tape.
In October 2023 he visited Ipswich and with a team of eager volunteers a replica of Wolsey’s Gate in just cardboard and tape was constructed on the Cornhill. Carefully following detailed plans they started with the top section and then lifted it to add lower sections which were secured with regular parcel tape.
The finished monument took around 9 hours to complete and was nearly 25 meters tall. The following day it was demolished and the cardboard flattened for recycling by the same volunteers that made it.