Regeneration

One of the sculptures being delivered by crane

A series of sculptures by the award-winning artist Wolfgang Buttress began being put in place last week as construction work continues on the major Bradford Council regeneration project.

The six-acre City Park will include the biggest man-made water feature in a UK city as well as 100 fountains and is designed to create a vibrant public space that supports the Bradford district economy.

Wolfgang Buttress’s three sculptures, all cast from reconstituted local stone, measure up to 2.5m (8ft) in height and 4m (13ft) in length and weigh between 1.5 and 15 tonnes, meaning they had to be lifted via cranes into position outside the Centenary Building. Installation will be completed in the coming weeks.

The sculptures are the first part of the artist’s contribution to City Park which will also include 10 giant reed-like lighting columns which will start to be installed in late September.

Coun David Green, Bradford Council’s Executive Member for Regeneration and Culture, said: “The arrival of these sculptures shows we are getting close to turning City Park from a concept and building site into a fully-functioning landmark.

“City Park is about more than just bricks, mortar and water – it is about creating a positive environment for people to enjoy and interact with and the artworks play a key role in that.”

Artist Wolfgang Buttress said of the sculptures: “They are designed to complement the City Park landscape and the mirror pool and make a real connection with people.”

Detailed commissioning of the artworks began in April 2009 and the final contract was awarded in March 2010.