New York City-inspired Willow Cathedral completed in Winchburgh
The domed structure, made from 1,000 strips of willow built around a 40ft birch tree, is the new centrepiece of Auldcathie District Park.
Residents of Scotland's fastest-growing town are celebrating the latest addition to their community: a cathedral made entirely from willow.
The domed structure, made from 1,000 strips of willow built around a 40ft birch tree, is the new centrepiece of Auldcathie District Park, the 85-acre green space formed from the reclamation of a landfill site in the former mining village of Winchburgh in West Lothian.
Designed by Deeside Willow in conjunction with local residents, the cathedral – already dubbed Auldcath-edral after the name of the park – was built over two days by 50 volunteers and is already becoming a popular spot for community events or residents looking for a quiet place to relax and enjoy nature.
John West, 44, the co-founder of the Winchburgh Community Growing Group who helped coordinate the build, said the team faced several big challenges in building the cathedral, which was constructed using 20ft strips of willow and includes 300 harlequin plants and a seating area around the birch tree.
'It's totally bespoke and a unique design and the biggest structure Deeside Willow has ever built,' said John.
'We sketched a design featuring 14 pillars of willow which connect to two central rings and it was tricky because we had to incorporate the birch tree into the design.'
The team also had to ensure it could survive the sometimes severe Scottish winds.
John says the new structure, inspired by a similar building in New York City, has already become a focal point for visitors to the award-winning park, which now extends to 85 acres.
Winchburgh Developments Ltd, the company behind the masterplan for the town, was winner at the UK Brownfield Awards for its work on the park as part of a £6 million regeneration project.
John said: 'This used to be just a barren piece of muddy ground but it's now been transformed and this year it's really taking shape. You see people coming into the park, playing in the park, and then coming purposely into the garden just to have a seat in the cathedral, and admire it.
'It's well used. It's attracting people, it's the biggest feature in the whole park.'
John said the building also offered a place away from the hustle and bustle of modern life.
'We are hoping it will make a nice canopy and a place to sit if you want a bit of shade; it's also a nice quiet place. You could read a book or just take in the wildlife.
'It's positioned deliberately in that part of the park because there's a nice curved path that goes round it; it's also the kind of place where if you wanted to, you could get away from the hustle and bustle. It's a very tranquil corner of the garden.'
The building will have a practical purpose, too, as a place for the people of the community to come together: a vegetable patch has been created round the nearby pond and classes and workshops will be held in the building. Deeside Willow, who directed the build, has already held a number of willow workshops for local residents and some have acquired willow kits so they can try out the technique at home.
Around 2,800 people visited the park for a recent Easter event with many visiting the cathedral for the first time.
Nik Millott, who runs Deeside Willow with his wife Katie, said the cathedral was an unusual and challenging project.
He said: 'It's the first willow cathedral we've built and the biggest project we've ever undertaken and I haven't seen anything in Scotland like the size of the structure in Winchburgh.
'Obviously, we needed to make sure we were anchoring in the main pillars of the structure because of the wind. It was really important that we got it deep enough to stand up to the wind.
'We feel privileged to have the opportunity to work with the Winchburgh Growing Group – it's an amazing development. To see the living willow structure and the smiles on people's faces, and the interest it's creating in the park as well, that fills us with joy. And it's not me putting the willow in the ground, it's the residents of Winchburgh and that's what makes it extra special.'
The cathedral will now be maintained by the volunteers of the growing group.
'In year two, we'll need to shape it a bit and keep tying it in,' said John. 'You can twist it round and tweak it constantly so that we get a nice dome effect.
'The willow is just starting to burst into buds and will always grow around the dome. It will always be evolving.'
John Hamilton. of Winchburgh Developments Ltd, added: 'When we committed to an infrastructure-first approach to planning the growth of Winchburgh, we didn't account for a 'cathedral' being at the heart of the 85-acre park at the heart of the town.
'It's another example of some excellent collaborative working for the benefit of our community, and we will continue to support Winchburgh Community Growing Group in such initiatives going forward.'
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