The National Trust has announced that arts charity Helix Arts and George King Architects have won the competition to design an artistic tribute to the illegally felled Sycamore Gap tree. The winning design, titled 'The People's Tree', will feature a UK-wide participation programme inviting the public to record reflections on their relationship with nature, alongside a digital soundtrack created by scanning the tree's rings to transform its history into sound.
Community Artworks and Sound Sculpture
Seasoned wood recovered from the original sycamore will be used to create artworks with communities and local artists, culminating in a sound sculpture that will include a time capsule for the tree. Public participation for the artwork is expected to commence this summer, with the completed sound sculpture set to debut by September 2027 at an accessible location along Hadrian's Wall, the exact site yet to be determined.
Regrowth and Legacy
The centuries-old sycamore, which stood at Hadrian's Wall for at least 150 years, was illegally felled in September 2023 by vandals who have since been jailed. The National Trust has confirmed that several shoots are now regrowing from the stump, ensuring the tree's legacy continues both naturally and through this artistic tribute.
