Where the Wild Things Were - Salford Quays

This sculpture celebrates the impact of the Manchester Ship Canal, a man-made waterway connecting Salford to the sea, and the rest of the world. The canal was officially opened by Queen Victoria in 1894.

The giant blades of elephant grass suggest places beyond the canal, where ships sailed to and from. Each steel base is engraved with drawings by local children, who imagined the landscape and wildlife of far-off lands. Their sense of wonder mirrors that of Salfordians who witnessed bananas, citrus fruit, cotton and tea arrive here from distant shores for the first time.

The project involved a regional design company that had ideas on paper that required our knowledge on manufacture and structuring of the project.