Introduction
Turnstone Business Park
The Gyratory
Linear Park
SmartWater Security Kits
WWF Waterfront Business Survey
Business Consultation
Public Art at the Waterfront
Brown Fields Blue Skies
Black & White Film
Future Flower Creation
Future Flower Creation
(Tonkin Liu’s) Future Flower marks the growth of Widnes Waterfront
Award winning architectural practice Tonkin Liu has won an international design competition for a new £125,000 landmark public art commission at Widnes Waterfront, Halton.
Widnes Waterfront is a multi-million pound regeneration project centred on 200-acres of former industrial land on the banks of the River Mersey that envisages the creation of 2,700 jobs for the local economy and the creation of a modern business park environment and associated leisure facilities.
With funding drawn from the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) and the European Objective two programme, in the past three years Widnes Waterfront has already achieved extensive physical change and considerable new investment into Halton.
As part of a wider public art and environmental uplift programme, over the last six months Waterfront bosses have sought a creative designer to deliver a major piece of public art which is to be funded solely by contributions from NWDA and WREN.
The brief called for a dramatic artwork sympathetic to the ambitions of the Widnes Waterfront and alluding in contemporary expression to the environmental and social character and of the region.
Future Flower
The winning proposal Future Flower, is a dynamic wind powered sculpture with bright yellow perspex petals that gently flutter and light up in the wind.
Sited on the Merseyside mud plains beyond the factories of Widnes, Future Flower acts as a beacon drawing people to the waterfront to enjoy its natural beauty and expansive sky. From a distance the lifted flower appears and disappears in the mist, marking the horizon above the river.
Powered by the wind individual petals are lit up different directional winds, resulting an ever changing dynamic landmark. Tonkin Liu will work in partnership with Mike Smith Studio, fabricator of the practice’s award winning Singing Ringing Tree, to realise Future Flower.
Leader of Halton Borough Council, Tony McDermott, welcomed the appointment. He said: “We had an excellent shortlist to choose from and some thoroughly inspiring and thought-provoking designs. Tonkin Liu bring with them a wealth of experience in designing and delivering memorable pieces of public art in the UK and internationally.
“People are often cynical about pieces of public art but we see this piece, coupled with the extensive public art programme as making a real difference to the environment. We are not expecting the Future Flower to become the Eiffel Tower of Widnes but it demonstrates growth, civic pride and our belief in the area.
“To the thousands of people that work in the area and the thousands that will view it from other vantage points in Widnes it will hopefully resonate change and an emerging future for the entire borough.
“We are very pleased that they are on board and are sure that their Future Flower will become a firm favourite with the people of Halton.”
Click to download documentation: