Pride 2024: Mace unveils installation of 30,000 ‘lucky stars’

Mace is marking Pride Month with a new art installation, displayed at its global headquarters.

The Lucky Star installation – unveiled at a ceremony attended by women’s rights campaigner and former MP Siân James – is a wooden structure holding 66 Perspex tubes, each filled with thousands of star-shaped origami pieces in the progress flag colours. 

Each of the approximately 30,000 ‘lucky stars’ were handmade by some of Mace’s more than 7,000 global construction and consultancy experts.

The stars represent love and good luck in Japanese folklore and some of the origami was made in Hong Kong and Iceland. The origami pieces were transported to London by those who were already travelling for business purposes.

Andrew Jackson, chief operating officer of Mace Construct, said: “Following on from the success of the Unity installation that we unveiled for Pride 2023 and the hard hat display of 2022, we have gone even further this year with this Mace Lucky Stars sculpture.

“As a business, we know there are untold benefits of a truly diverse workforce. This installation marks our commitment to Pride Month – but we know this is only the start and that more needs to be done.

“We are dedicated to becoming the most inclusive employer of choice in our industry and remain committed to ensuring we continue to attract talent from all walks of life.”

Pride month is celebrated every June by the LGBTQ+ community and its allies, promoting diversity and inclusion.

The month marks a time in which to consider and discuss LGBTQ+ challenges, a particularly important topic for the construction industry with the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) reporting that 60% of LGBTQ+ employees have experienced homophobic and derogatory terms at work. 

In 2018, charity Stonewall found that more than a third of LGBTQ+ staff in Britain have hidden their identity at work, through fear of discrimination. 

Angela Li, co-chair of employee resource group Pride at Mace, said: “It is heart breaking that so many LGBTQ+ people have had to hide their true selves in the workplace. By unveiling this installation at our London headquarters, made collaboratively with global colleagues, Mace has proven itself to be a safe and supportive employer. I truly feel safe being my true authentic self at Mace.

“This sculpture represents the aspirations of Mace and provides a very poignant space for colleagues and clients to visit to reflect on the challenges faced by LGBTQ+ colleagues throughout the industry.”

Mace’s Pride installation will be displayed in the lobby of the Mace global headquarters at 155 Moorgate until the end of June and each tube of stars will be distributed to those involved as a keepsake.