future flower
out of the mud plains,
along the river mersey grows a flower,
petals glowing and blowing
 with the wind,
wind is captured by the flower and turned into light

Out of the mud banks of the River Mersey grows a flower, capturing the wind to create light. 120 perforate galvanised petals gently flutter and glow, lit by 60 low-voltage LED lights. Without the wind, the petals glow in the light of the sun and the sky. With different wind speeds, the lights reach different intensities, resulting in an ever changing and dynamic flower.

Beyond the chemical factories, the Future Flower acts as a beacon, drawing people to the waterfront to enjoy its natural beauty and expansive sky. From afar, the lifted flower appears and disappears in the mist, marking the horizon.

Closer up, moiré patterns created by the layered petals continually shift when the visitors approach. Inspired by the convergence of nature and industry, the Future Flower embraces the future of renewable energy and signals the optimism for the future of Widnes.

client halton borough council
location widnes, cheshire, uk
date completed 2007
structural engineer e o’c
fabricator: mike smith studio
height: 14 m
energy XC02
budget £200,000