With Bradford awarded the UK City of Culture 2025, and an expected 15 million visitors during its year of celebrations, the city is ready for its moment in the spotlight. As part of these exciting developments, Bigg Design and Fun Makes Good are transforming Bradford’s main bus and rail interchange with super-scale, multi-surface artworks that will create an exciting, welcoming gateway to the city.
Inspired by the vibrant colours of Bradford District, this series of abstract artworks celebrates the city and its surrounding landscapes, towns and villages. From heather-clad moors and stone cobbled streets to the radiant glow of city lights; from stunning architecture and a thriving cultural scene to bustling markets and aromatic kitchens; from tranquil parks, woodlands and canal-side walks to lively festivals, sports and rich heritage - each hue reflects the unique elements of the region, weaving them together in a dynamic visual narrative to capture the diversity and beauty of Bradford District in every shade.
Alongside a project team of Fereday Pollard (landscape architects), Balfour Beatty (main contractor) and Butterfield (signage contractor), working for West Yorkshire Council Authority, City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council and Bradford 2025, Bigg Design and Fun Makes Good have created over 1,500m2 of artwork, enhancing the Interchange with vibrant, multi-dimensional spaces that offer a range of unique visitor experiences.
Key features include a newly designed plaza area with a colourful perimeter of graphic hoarding, welcoming signage, and glazing treatments; a 100-meter-long art walkway and underpass; as well as several internal spaces featuring bold artwork walls, mirrored glazing, colourful columns, way-finding signage, and stained-glass-style glazing wraps that bathe the atrium in a spectrum of light. This holistic approach to art and design revitalises both the station’s interior and exterior, creating an engaging, visually stunning environment that makes a truly positive and exciting point of entry for the city.