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The 450-tonne platform will be transported on a flatbed barge as large as a football pitch to its
new home at the Tropicana, an iconic seafront landmark, and lifted by crane over the seawall
onto preconstructed legs. The entire construction will be 35m tall - 15m taller than the Angel of
the North and just 11m shy of Nelson’s Column.
Visitors and residents to Weston-super-Mare will witness the transformation of SEE MONSTER,
commissioned as part of UNBOXED: Creativity in the UK, as construction takes place over the
coming weeks. Once the installation is completed, SEE MONSTER will be experienced from the seafront, beach and on board. It will feature four publicly accessible levels animated by a 10-
metre-high waterfall; a 6,000-piece kinetic installation forming the monster’s shimmering
scales; an onboard oasis of grasses, plants and trees selected to thrive in a seaside microclimate; and a seated amphitheatre and broadcast studio, forming a platform for conversations
about reuse and sustainable futures. A phased opening at the Tropicana begins over August
bank holiday in England, Northern Ireland, and Wales.
SEE MONSTER is brought to life by Leeds-based creative studio NEWSUBSTANCE in
collaboration with Dose of Society, REDHOUSE Productions, Rocket Women, Empowering
Women with Tech, sculptor Ivan Black, and representatives from The British Antarctic Survey,
and is supported by North Somerset Council.
Patrick O’Mahony, Creative Director and Founder of NEWSUBSTANCE said, “This world-first
project is a truly challenging and ambitious feat of design and engineering. From our creative
collaborators to North Somerset and Weston Town Councils, and from local communities and
businesses to the energy and environment industry, we are immensely grateful to those who
have supported us in bringing this once-in-a-lifetime educational and creative experience to
Weston-super-Mare. From experiments in renewable energy generation to the reuse of major
industrial structures, SEE MONSTER will be a platform for conversations about our future.”
SEE MONSTER is one of ten creative projects commissioned as part of UNBOXED: Creativity
in the UK and taking place across the UK until October 2022.
Martin Green, Chief Creative Officer, UNBOXED: Creativity in the UK said, "SEE MONSTER is
an inspirational and awe-inspiring project that embodies the ambition of UNBOXED, to
celebrate creative collaboration across science, engineering and the arts. The transformation of
a decommissioned platform into one of the UK’s most ambitious public art installations is an
unprecedented undertaking and will offer a blueprint for the reuse of industrial structures that
everyone involved should be proud of.”
Cllr Mark Canniford, Executive Member for Placemaking and Economy at North Somerset
Council, said: “North Somerset Council have worked closely with NEWSUBSTANCE
throughout the project, and we are excited that SEE MONSTER is on its way. There will be an
impressive calendar of events and activities planned across the town to celebrate its time here
and we look forward to welcoming visitors from across the country to share in this unique
event.”
Visit the SEE MONSTER page to get the latest news and information.