Winner of Sycamore Gap commission announced
Keeping the legacy alive
So The People’s Tree it is…
The winner of the commemorative Sycamore Gap commission is the only one of the six shortlisted proposals with roots in the North East.
Ultimately it was the idea of North Shields-based charity Helix Arts, in collaboration with London design studio George King Architects (GKA), that captured the public imagination.
It secured the most votes and the popular decision was endorsed by an expert judging panel.
The aim of the competition was to create a lasting legacy from the wood of the tree that was illegally felled in September 2023, spoiling an iconic view of Hadrian’s Wall.
The announcement of the winner comes with confirmation that for the third year running several healthy shoots are growing from the remaining stump, keeping alive the possibility of a new tree one day replacing the original.
Rather than a single memorial, The People’s Tree will fashion the tree’s legacy into something shared and living.
Via a national programme of participation, people will be invited to record their reflections on their own relationships with trees and nature.
Alongside these recordings, a digital soundtrack will be created by scanning the tree’s rings.
The final compilation of stories and audio will be presented through exhibitions and workshops held to the north, south, east and west of Sycamore Gap.
Sections of some of the seasoned wood will be used for artworks created by communities and local artists as they connect to nature, landscapes and the tree.
The project will culminate in a sound sculpture which will include a time capsule for the tree (including some of its wood and the living archive of stories and nature sounds) to be sited along Hadrian’s Wall at an accessible location chosen by stakeholders and communities.
Work on the commission will begin this summer, with Helix Arts and GKA working with the National Trust, local partners and communities along Hadrian’s Wall, and is expected to be finished by autumn 2027.
Helix Arts director Cheryl Gavin said: “To be chosen by both the public and the judging panel feels phenomenal.
“This project comes from a belief that the legacy of the Sycamore Gap tree lives not only in its wood but in the relationships, memories and moments of connection it sparked.
“Connecting and collaborating with communities along Hadrian’s Wall and across the UK is key.
“We want to create places where people can pause, listen and feel part of something shared; where loss becomes a starting point for reconnection and care.
“Acknowledging the impact of the loss of the tree nationally, we also wanted to find a way to resonate beyond the North East, and we’ll do this through the digital swapping of stories to understand one another’s experience with the gap and connection to nature.”
George King, principal of GKA, said: “We’re absolutely delighted to have been selected for the Sycamore Gap commission. It’s a real honour to be entrusted with responding to a place that means so much to so many people.
“We are especially excited to be working in collaboration with Helix Arts and to have the opportunity to engage with communities across the UK, developing the project together and shaping it through shared stories, memories and experiences.
“The tree as it was can never be replaced, but what we can do is create a place for reflection and connections.
“Drawing on our experience in exhibitions and installations, we aim to shape a thoughtful installation, to create a lasting legacy for future generations that honours its meaning and gives people a place to reconnect.”
Annie Reilly, public engagement director at the National Trust and chair of the judging panel, said several artists had been inspired by the ‘helicopter’ form of sycamore seeds which ensures they’re carried far and wide.
“What stood out about this proposal was how it puts a real conversation between people and the tree at its heart.
“The public response has been incredible and shows just how much the Sycamore Gap tree meant to people. In that context, the proposal stood out for its generosity, care and ambition.
“It doesn’t try to give one answer to loss. Instead, it invites people to listen, reflect and reconnect… with nature and with each other.
“The panel was especially excited by its strong focus on communities and its potential to create a lasting legacy, locally and nationally.”
This final artistic commission will sit alongside ongoing activity marking the legacy of the tree including the Trees of Hope sapling programme, community partnerships, exhibitions and touring artworks.