Sculptural wall and sound buffer – 1968 by Antony Holloway in collaboration with architect Harry M Fairhurst.
Concrete approximately 68 metres long and between 4.5 and 6 metres high – Brutalist style.
Grade II Listed June 10th 2011 – Historic England
The only structure on the former UMIST site, now part of the extensive University of Manchester estate.
Regularly visited on our Manchester Modernist walks, along with his nearby architectural panels.
I have even ventured as far afield as Huyton in search of other exemplars.
This is work of the highest order and importance.
It sits by a busy London Road, behind an intrusive green steel fence, slowly acquiring a green patina – as moss and lichen attach themselves to the well weathered concrete.
Receiving occasional visits from the errant urban tagger.
It deserves much better – a lush grassed apron, discrete public seating, regular tree maintenance – respect.
We do not suffer from a surfeit of significant mid-century public art – its guardians should straighten up and fly right.
Right?
modernmooch.com 