Keel Square facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Keel Square |
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Keel Square shortly after completion
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| General information | |
| Type | City Square |
| Town or city | Sunderland, Tyne and Wear |
| Country | England |
| Coordinates | 54°54′28″N 1°23′10″W / 54.907878°N 1.386170°W |
| Construction started | June 2014 |
| Completed | May 2015 |
| Cost | £11.8 Million |
| Owner | Sunderland City Council |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Kevin Johnson, Stephen Broadbent |
Keel Square is a cool public space in Sunderland, Tyne & Wear, England. It was finished in 2015. This square is in the northern part of Sunderland's city centre. It was built as part of a bigger project to improve the area. The whole project cost about £11.8 million.
Keel Square celebrates Sunderland's long history with ships and factories. The people of Sunderland even helped choose its name!
What Does Keel Square Look Like?
Keel Square was designed by a team from Sunderland City Council. Kevin Johnson, a landscape architect, led the design. The main goal was to honor Sunderland's past as a major shipbuilding and industrial city.
The square is built using strong materials like sandstone, granite, and bronze. These materials help show off the city's tough industrial roots.
Why Was Keel Square Built?
The square was also built to help the nearby Vaux Site. This area was being redeveloped for businesses. The city wanted to make Sunderland a more attractive place for companies.
Paul Watson, who was the leader of Sunderland Council at the time, said:
In creating the new city centre public space we saw the opportunity to celebrate Sunderland’s shipbuilding and industrial heritage
—Paul Watson, Sunderland Echo, October 15, 2013
The Keel Line: A Special Feature
Keel Square has a unique art piece called "The Keel Line." It helps everyone remember the city's industrial past. The line starts with a sculpture called "Propellers of the City." This sculpture was designed by Stephen Broadbent. It has the names of people who worked in the shipyards along the River Wear.
"The Keel Line" itself shows how long the "Naess Crusader" was. This was the biggest ship ever launched on the River Wear. The line is made of special paving stones. These stones list over 8,100 ships that were built and launched on the Wear. The paving also includes drawings by artist Bryan Talbot. These drawings show the history of Sunderland.
