NETLON COVERS SCOTTISH GALLERY SCULPTURE

A unique land form sculpture in the grounds of the Scottish National Gallery in Edinburgh is the latest development to benefit from Netlon's turf protection solutions.

The sculpture consists of an S-shaped hill and water feature with a terraced pyramid design. It is 6m high at its maximum point, and has 45° angles on all its slopes. Netlon's Advanced Turf System was selected to create the 2,000m² of turf area by landscape architects Ian White Associates. They had successfully used Netlon products in the past and John Farquhar, Principal of the company, said: "We felt that Netlon's Advanced Turf System was the only way we could combine all the necessary elements to make the project work."

The Advanced Turf System consists of a specially prepared rootzone into which thousands of small interlocking mesh elements are blended. Washed turf or seed is used to establish grass cover, and as the roots develop they penetrate through the mesh to form a very stable rootzone and a deep anchored root system.

The project presented some unique challenges as the slopes were unusually steep, and the edges of the slopes and the footpaths had to be as straight and crisp as possible to comply with the artist's intentions. The Advanced Turf System combines strength with flexibility, making it ideal for use on every section of the land form. It offers stability on the sharp edges and steep slopes and can also withstand the wear and tear of foot traffic on the sculpture's footpaths.

Project workers were able to use a large amount of soil reclaimed from the site, which was then covered with 200mm of Netlon's reinforced rootzone. The rootzone was compacted into place before washed turf from Lindum Turf in Yorkshire was placed over the top.

The land form construction was part of a much larger redevelopment project which began with the Gallery's acquisition of the building now known as the Dean Gallery. Having refurbished the building, the gallery team wanted to rethink the whole site. They commissioned Charles Jencks, an American landscape designer well known in the area, to design a land form which would connect the two galleries. Philip Long, Senior Curator at the Gallery of Modern Art, said: "We wanted something exciting and suited to the gallery."

Visitors standing on top of the sculpture can now see over the grounds of both galleries and across into Edinburgh. The elevated position also offers a new perspective on the other sculptures located around the grounds. Mr Long and his colleagues are very pleased with the end result: "We're delighted. It really is an extraordinary structure. There's nothing quite like it anywhere else and we expect this to attract an enormous number of people."

Netlon is an acknowledged leader in the development and application of plastic mesh products for use in horticulture, civil engineering and agriculture. Netlon Turf Systems has developed a range of technologies and products to improve the capabilities of grassed areas to withstand heavy and intensive wear. The range includes products designed to cater for a wide variety of turf protection situations, from very lightweight protective mesh to specially reinforced turf and more permanent paving capable of handling even heavy goods vehicles.

Close this window to go back to the press release list