Local materials and suppliers

It was this focus on using local materials and suppliers that made the local Altrad RMD Kwikform team at the London Road depot in Glasgow so keen to get involved, as Steve Duthie, Associate Director Business Services (Scotland) at Altrad RMD Kwikform explains.

"As soon as the client approached us to ask if we could donate our design expertise and shoring system for the project, we were only too willing to help.  The sculpture is set to become an iconic addition to our local skyline here in South Lanarkshire and Glasgow, and is focused on mental health and wellbeing, which our business actively encourages through our network of Mental Health First Aiders (MHFAs).

We began the project by designing a completely bespoke shoring system, using our heavy-duty, modular steel Rapidshor solution to provide intermediate support of the curved structure, using our curved grid system.  This consists of a series of four, elegant columns, finishing with a plinth on which a sculpture of a small child stands.

Our design needed to support the geometry of the concrete pillars, which rise from the ground at an inward-facing angle, as they were dropped into place, meaning we couldn’t rely on the structure above to provide any form of support.

We therefore created a tower structure, consisting of a series of levels and platforms to support each pillar, which were then tied together with a concrete collar. A stairway was also included to provide safe and easy access for contractors working on the sculpture."

The Hope Sculpture Project Team

Artist and Designer – Steuart Padwick

Project Lead/Director - Natalie Alexopoulos

Clients/Locations

The Hope Sculpture, Cuningar Loop – Clyde Gateway

The Hope Triptych, Rottenrow Gardens – University of Strathclyde

The Beacon of Hope, Central Station – Network Rail

Principle Build Partners

Aggregate Industries (member of Holcim), development/supply of low carbon cement free concrete, Keltbray, precast columns, lifting and installation, Ramboll, lead consultant, engineering design, carbon assessment & walking cycle trail design, Urban Union (part of Robertson Group), lead contactor / site management

Build Partners

A&D Sutherland, supplier of Caithness stone, preparation and lettering, Ainscough, cranes for installation, BSW Group, providing timber for Beacon of Hope, Buro Happold, lighting design, Cairnhill Structures/Watson Towers Group, bending & welding of Hope Triptych,  Careys, piling mat and cap and groundworks, Central FS Lighting, lighting installation, Construction Scotland Innovation Centre (CSIC), factory/machinery for timber Beacon of Hope, Dryden Aqua, recycled glass aggregate for Hope Sculpture, Dyce Carriers, transport, ECOSystems, maker of timber Beacon of Hope, EDRMedeso, CAD support, GAP Group, perimeter fencing, trac mats, water bowser and road plates, Graham, scaffolders, Guard Industry, concrete sealant, H-Bau, Cretcon formwork tubes (for precast), supporting ring moulds, HD Collins, lighting components, Jarvie, welfare units J&P Building Systems, UK supplier for H-Bau and Pfeifer, John Lawrie, supplier of recycled piling tubes, JR Adam & Sons, reclaimed steel for Hope Triptych, LB Foundations, piling installation, NSS, access platform, NWH, material recovery, ensuring waste from the build was transformed into a valuable resource, Omega Red Group, Lightning Connector, Patrick Thorn, 3D scanning, Pfeifer, structural metal work for precast columns and column anchor fixings, Phoenix Drilling, site investigations, Plean Precast, child sculpture pre-cast, PossilPark Shotblasting, Hope Triptych paint finish, Prime Secure, The Hope Sculpture site security, Rainton Construction Scotland, laying paving and bench installation, RMD Kwikform, falseworks scaffold,scaffold design and support, Romtech, supplier of recycled steel rebar, Skanska, infrastructure and cementation design and fabrication, Stoane Lighting, providing lighting fittings, Studiotech, lighting programming.

Project Collaborators

All3Media Group/Bullion Productions, ‘Conversation of Hope’ film production, Arcade, augmented reality Hope Sculpture App, Avanti West Coast, train tickets, BikeTown, supporting community outreach, British Geological Survey, supporters of Hope Sculpture Project, Camglen Radio, supporting community outreach, Dirt Comms, additional PR support/Scotland, Factory73, web development, Farrer Kane, PR support, Forestry & Land Scotland, Cuningar Loop leaseholders and supporters, FourFifteen, industry film producers and photography, Glasgow City Council, supporters of the Hope Sculpture project, Healthy n Happy, supporting community outreach, Mental Health Foundation, mental health messaging and signposting, Nature Scot, supporters of the Hope Sculpture project, Radisson Red Glasgow, accommodation, ScotRail, train tickets, Scottish Enterprise, supporters of the Hope Sculpture project, South Lanarkshire Council, supporters of the Hope Sculpture project, Stand Agency, web brand guidelines, St James Arts/Nigel Rubenstein, PR support/Arts, UN Climate Champions Team/ Race To Zero, supporters of the Hope Sculpture project, Vision Events Glasgow, AV production & technical support, Voco, Grand Central, an IHG Hotel, accommodation, Zero Waste Scotland, materials supporter