Bradford City of Culture 'Tower of Now' sculpture to stay in the city
The Tower of Now by Bradford artist Saad Qureshi is a 15-metre-tall sculpture that stands in the Hall Ings “pocket park.”
A STRIKING sculpture that was erected in Bradford city centre to mark its year as City of Culture will remain in place for at least another year.
The Tower of Now by Bradford artist Saad Qureshi is a 15-metre-tall sculpture that stands in the Hall Ings “pocket park.”
The sculpture is inspired by architecture from around the world, including mosques, temples, pagodas, synagogues and Bradford’s gothic-style City Hall.
It was installed in Spring 2025 on a planning condition that the sculpture be removed by May 2026.
The pocket park it stands in was intended to be a temporary feature – with the former Hall Ings car park site due to eventually form a new entrance way to Bradford Interchange.
With a decision yet to be made on the long-term future of the Interchange, this proposed new entranceway has been paused.
But now Bradford Culture Company, the organisation that ran Bradford 2025 and commissioned the artwork, has applied for permission to extend the period the Tower of Now is in place.
The application, submitted to Bradford Council this week, says: “It is proposed that conditions of the planning permission be varied to allow the sculpture to remain in situ for an additional 12 months, with removal and site restoration to be completed by the end of May 2027.
“The original reason for the temporary permission was to avoid prejudicing the long-term development of the land.
“As there is no confirmed or imminent development proposal for the site within the proposed extension period, the continued temporary retention of the sculpture would not conflict with this purpose, nor would it result in harm to visual amenity or policy objectives.
“The sculpture would remain fully reversible, temporary, and capable of removal should future development require it.”
Asked about the application, a spokesperson for the Bradford Culture Company said: “Tower of Now is a stunning artwork by Bradford’s own Saad Qureshi, inspired by the heritage and architecture of the city.
“This unique artwork has become a space for reflection, for people to come together and a focal point in the newly developed Norfork Gardens.
We hope that the continuation of the sculpture in this location continues to inspire and unite.”
Bradford Council are expected to make a decision on the proposed time extension next month.
Saad’s family’s links to Bradford began when Saad’s grandfather, who worked as a tailor for the British Army, was offered a job in the textile mills following the partition.
Later, the family would move back to Pakistan and Saad grew up abroad before returning to Bradford at eight years old.