Three major public art commissions - Seed by Rachael Champion & Jonathan Trayte, PIVOTAL by NEON, and a pair of animated murals by Kev Munday & Stuart Melrose - now define the route from Reading Station through to the town centre. Commissioned by Lincoln MGT and curated by Futurecity, these artworks offer moments of reflection, celebration, and joy, embedding culture into the fabric of the £850m Station Hill development.
“The programme creates a visual and emotional journey through Station Hill,” said Sinéad McCarthy, Curatorial Director at Futurecity. “These artworks are not static sculptures - they are animated, participatory, and connected to the lives of Reading’s people.”
A Cultural Gateway for Reading
Station Hill is a new cultural gateway for Reading - a 6.5-acre district at the confluence of three key streets, designed as a place where public art shapes identity, guides movement, and activates public space.
Futurecity’s Public Art and Cultural Strategy, commissioned by Lincoln MGT, sets a vision for Station Hill as a front door to the town’s creative life. The first three artist commissions, featured here, mark the beginning of a wider programme that connects people, place, and culture - helping to build a lasting creative legacy for Reading.
“Reading now announces itself as a bold, creative town,” said Mark Davy, Founder of Futurecity. “This is a shining example of how art and place can combine to elevate urban life — with the community at its heart.”
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Seed by Rachael Champion and Jonathan Trayte
A monumental sculptural centrepiece for the new Station Hill piazza. Inspired by the horticultural legacy of Reading-based Suttons Seeds, Seed transforms scientific and historical reference into a striking, layered public artwork. At nearly five metres high, a vibrant pot marigold (Calendula officinalis) seed silhouette rises from a terrazzo plinth made with recycled brick and glass.
Embedded in the sculpture’s surface are nine bronze reliefs of magnified seed textures, created from electron microscope images and chosen by Reading residents through a community call-out.The result is a deeply tactile and locally grounded artwork that connects personal identity, botany, and place. Positioned as “a seed, a seat, a place to meet,” Seed invites touch, reflection, and gathering.
“It has been a fascinating experience to respond to Reading’s rich history and culture through seeds, especially with all of the local voices that have contributed to the project.” — Rachael Champion & Jonathan Trayte
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PIVOTAL by NEON (Mark Nixon and Viliina Koivisto)
Towering 14 metres above the town centre gateway, PIVOTAL by NEON is a kinetic landmark that signals movement, identity, and civic renewal. The work consists of 73 luminous fins that rotate in the wind and are illuminated from within by animated LED sequences at night.
Referencing the form and symbolism of a flag, PIVOTAL draws on themes of wayfinding, celebration, and collective belonging. It was designed to evolve with its environment - responding to the weather by day and illuminating the skyline by night. Positioned in front of ONE Station Hill, it greets the 20 million passengers arriving annually through Reading Station and acts as a statement of intent for a new creative chapter in the town’s story.
“We were asked to consider and respond to the future of Reading with this artwork. This was a very exciting challenge for us because the future remains unknown. PIVOTAL marks this important moment in the town’s history while also representing an environment that is designed to be responsive and adaptable. This responsiveness will support the thriving community that shapes the future of Reading.” — NEON (Mark Nixon and Viliina Koivisto)
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Animated Murals: Royals, Residents & a Rock Festival and Rivers, Ruins & Regency by Kev Munday and Stuart Melrose
“The opportunity to work on these large-scale collaborative artworks has been an absolute pleasure and I am honoured to have been able to illustrate so many different people’s ideas into the pieces. I am looking forward to seeing them displayed in the town for years to come.” — Kev Munday
Two bold murals that anchor each end of the Station Hill development: Royals, Residents & a Rock Festival (Reading Station) and Rivers, Ruins & Regency (Friars Walk). These high-impact, backlit artworks were developed through a year-long process of community engagement, with over 100 groups and 30 school workshops contributing drawings, names, and local icons.
The murals bring Reading’s cultural DNA to life - celebrating notable figures such as Kate Winslet, Ricky Gervais, Phoebe Cusden, and King Henry I alongside local landmarks, wildlife, industry, and stories. Each mural features a black-line illustrative style laser-cut into HIMACS panels and animated with programmable LED lighting that responds to seasonal events.
“As someone that lives in the area and knew a little about its history, it was amazing to find out more as well as meet people that are part of Reading’s fabric today. Then to forge that into a cohesive design piece with Kev has been a really beautiful path.” — Stuart Melrose