The Dumfries and Galloway Council planning committee has approved the planning application for the Star of Caledonia - a landmark sculpture marking the Scotland-England border. The monumental artwork will be located close to the A74(M) at Gretna Green.

A CELEBRATION OF SCOTLAND’S INVENTIVE SPIRIT

The world owes much to Scottish invention - penicillin, television, telephone, logarithms, the steam engine and even the postulation of electromagnetism. For artist Cecil Balmond, the Star of Caledonia embodies Scotland’s scientific and creative heritage. The artwork will act as a metaphor for energy and a symbol of the dynamism of the nation – a powerful welcome to Scotland.

ENCAPSULATION OF ENERGY

The concept for the Star began with the border drawn as a dashed line. In between the gaps, the journeys are marked as a series of waves flowing in and out. They are different in amplitudes and frequencies. This scenario of multiple waves offers a field of energy. Patterns emerge when you zoom in on the waves, including the image of the Saltire.

As the metaphor for energy evolved, Balmond focused on the curves folding over each other as a representation of Scottish brainpower. The sculptural form twists and turns with 3 orbiting ‘ wave forms’ These curved forms and tangential rods engage, creating an expansive ‘ starburst’ — dynamic, yet orderly.

SITE INTEGRATION

Visiting the Star of Caledonia will be experiential and immersive. Balmond Studio is responsible for the primary landscaping in the new planning proposal. The supporting landform draws its inspiration from the Star. Entry paths curving upwards, travel the length of the field to the top plateau, in tightening curves formed by overlapping ellipses. Like planetary orbits the ellipses imprint a sense of gathering energy towards the Star. The sculpture rests atop a 46.5-metre-high landform, with a nearby body of water providing a moment of reflective drama. Surrounding features include parking areas, grass zones, picnic gardens, and wetland planting—creating a biodiverse, accessible, and calm visitor setting.