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ZM showcase Kelpie runner up

ZM showcase Kelpie runner up

March 23 2012

ZM Architecture, runners up in a competition to design a visitor centre for Andy Scott’s Kelpies sculpture, have showcased their designs.

The one which got away would have incorporated a spiral stair within the Kelpie head giving access to a viewing platform with a flooring below composed of ‘bonded rubber crumb’ to create a ‘soft and sensual’ environment.

A separate visitor centre was planned alongside this sporting a large lattice timber trussed roof and black matt steel panels – to provide a sharp, precise edge to the Kelpies.

Peter Richardson of ZM Architecture said: “Our idea was to completely line the interior of the Kelpie head with ETFE pillows – creating a dramatic and unusual internal volume with minimal effect on the structure of the sculpture.

“Our visitor hub was a modern take on a reed or thatched roof plane extended along the landscape and flat steel panels for the building skin as a counterpoint to the textured steel surface of the horse sculptures.”

Nicoll Russell Studio ultimately won the £1m commission.

A 2.8m high base perimeter wall would have acted as a canvas for a range of temporary exhibitions

5 Comments

#1 Posted by dirige on 23 Mar 2012 at 14:50 PM

Are people actually going to visit this thing anyway? 'Lets go see some big horses heeds doon near the motorway and pylons'. I can see it going the same way as 'The Big Idea' in Troonishshire, just another lame attempt at attracting tourists to remember the ghosts of sadly lost heavy industry and the resultant widespread and long lasting depression that falls on communities by summing it up on a happy community-arts feature wall.

#2 Posted by Mike on 23 Mar 2012 at 17:17 PM

Long Island Duckling anyone?

#3 Posted by Big Chantelle's maw on 24 Mar 2012 at 13:26 PM

@dirige

There's also speculation as to how successful something will be -- nothing can be none for fact in that regard.

I think the structures are really unique and are close to the Falkirk Wheel etc so are part of a wider cultural quarter.

I can imagine people being intrigues by these so only time will tell how successful they'll be. But for purely aesthetic value, I love them -- I think they're great.

#4 Posted by Big Chantelle's maw on 24 Mar 2012 at 13:27 PM

*known*

*intrigued*