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Contents Page Birchwood Index Encounter Pestfurlong Sunrise Risley Moss Risley ROF Walled Garden Bunkers Business Parks Hotel Warrington Rd Autumn Images Winter Christmas Carnival Wildflowers All photographs on these
pages are the property of Brian Tuohey unless otherwise stated. |
Encounter Introduction The Encounter sculpture was built and put in place in 2002 as a gateway to Birchwood and a distinctive symbol of the area. It is situated on a small triangle of land at the end of Birchwood Way where the road joins Junction 11 of the M62 motorway. It can be seen easily if you are travelling eastbound on the motorway (towards Manchester), but is more difficult to see from the westbound carriageway unless you leave at Junction 11. The photos below were all taken from Pestfurlong Hill and Gorse Covert Mounds from which there are excellent views of the sculpture as it rises majestically above the trees. Below the photos I've added a few words on the history of the Encounter sculpture. My Other Encounter
Galleries Photo Gallery
Encounter in 2011
Floodlit, January 2008
September Sun, 2007 Springtime Sunset, April 2007 Autumn's Changing Colours,
November 2006 Summer, July 2006 Early Floodlighting, August 2003 History The initial idea for the sculpture came from the Birchwood
Forum and they commissioned artist Stephen Broadbent to design it. The
sculpture was built locally in Birchwood during 2002, assembled during
October of that year and completed in November. Its design is based on two
figures flying through the air together, symbolising the relationship and
interchange between business and the local community. It also takes
reference from the distinctive peeling bark of the birch tree, such a common
feature of the local area, and the swarf from a lathe, highlighting the
engineering heritage of Warrington. It was constructed from a combination of mild steel and cast
aluminium, coated in a durable protective outer layer. It stands 28 metres
or 91 feet high and is one of England's tallest pieces of public art. It
also houses a mobile phone transmitter. This helped to fund it and gives
the sculpture an ongoing functional aspect. During 2003, Encounter was floodlit at night, as seen in some
of the photos above. Later that year, in November, there was a formal
unveiling ceremony to mark the anniversary of its completion, and about the same
time, a new hi-tech multi-coloured lighting system was switched
on. Encounter remained floodlit until about the end of 2004. For the
next three years, it was left in darkness, being illuminated only by the
security lighting of a nearby warehouse. This changed briefly for a period
from new year 2008. Encounter has become a popular and well
recognised symbol of Birchwood, and images of it are used by a wide range of
local companies and organisations. |
Updated 18/09/11 |
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