April 18 2024

A national monument dedicated to the transgender community is to be erected in Manchester, the culmination of a design competition spearheaded by Sparkle.

The transgender charity hopes to replace the National Transgender Memorial in Sackville Gardens, destroyed by fire in 2022, with a new design drawn up by Arup and competition winners New Practice.

Plans filed with Manchester City Council show a cluster of Corten steel totems banded by polished steel positioned among trees to the northern end of the gardens. Anchored in concrete on a pink terrazzo base the structure will provide an opportunity for passersby to pause and reflect.

In an accompanying design statement, New Practice observed: "The incorporation of reflective bands at specific heights is a thoughtful consideration that caters to a diverse audience, encompassing children, wheelchair users, and individuals standing or sitting.

"The use of concrete as the base serves a dual purpose, contributing both to structural stability and symbolic grounding."

Standing in the heart of Manchester's Gay Village the monument is the subject of an ongoing fundraising campaign to cover the cost of fabrication and installation. 

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