Clean air mural planned for £4m Southampton development

Published by

Daniel Face

Nelson Gate, Southampton

Southampton will soon be home to the UK’s largest ‘clean air mural’, as part of FI Real Estate Management’s £4 million transformation of Nelson Gate into The Bulb.

The 1,005 square metre artwork is to be created by French street artist Nerone, whose residency in Southampton also involves workshops for the community.

It is estimated that the special paint used in the mural will absorb 65kg of CO2 annually—the same as three mature adult trees. This comes as a much-needed green initiative for the city, which remains one of Europe's top four worst polluted ports.

Three potential designs have now been shortlisted, with the people of Southampton able to scan and vote for their favourite using QR code artworks designed by local artist Will Rosie and placed around Nelson Gate.

Sarah Bogle, Cabinet Member for Economic Development at Southampton City Council, said: “The Bulb frames one of our important gateways to Southampton when arriving by train. The ambition is to enliven this space with exciting public art to show off our culturally vibrant city to everyone coming to Southampton.”

The Bulb is set to offer 155,000 square feet of new workspace to foster and futureproof careers in the area. Located next to Southampton Central Railway Station, it will feature exposed ceilings, LED lighting, and energy efficient Bluetooth-controlled air conditioning.

This comes as the latest development for Chorley-based FI Real Estate Management, who are collaborating with Nerone and the community on the mural project.

Head of Office Ryan Barber said: “After extensive investment in the site, including a major internal refurbishment, we are extremely proud of what has been achieved. Following the Future of Work Summit in January, it is evident how vital it is to create the right environment to support the future roles of tomorrow.

“We are fully committed to achieving this in Southampton, through continued investment within the building and our future commitment to improving the surrounding area.”

The online vote is set to run for three weeks, with the winning design chosen at the end of March. Nerone's work on the mural begins in April.

Daniel Face

Born and raised in Berkshire, Dan fell into journalism after completing his bachelor’s degree in English at UCL. Writing for The Business Magazine and local Biz News sites has given him the opportunity to chat with all manner of small business owners and share their success stories with a wider audience. Outside of work, Dan enjoys live music, board games and quiz shows, and is making a slow but persistent effort to learn Spanish.