Historic, though not always for the right reasons, and certainly iconic, Bristol’s waterfront is a hub for a city that owes so much to its industrial heritage and waterways. Set on the banks of the river Avon, which flows out into the magnificent Bristol channel, the harbour has turned from a busy working port to a thriving cultural centre. A clear evening in Bristol is incomplete without a stroll around its bustling harbour as the sun is setting.
This design pays homage to that experience, and to Bristol’s iconic cargo cranes which remain a persistent reminder of the city’s industrial past. The cranes, which date back to the 1950s, are a piece of frozen history showing a time when Bristol Harbour was the thriving industrial heart of the city. The history of the harbour itself does of course pre-date this industrial heyday. It first became a trading port in the 1420s but truly brought wealth to the city in the 17th and 18th century through the evil and brutality of the slave trade. Bristolians showed what they thought of that legacy in the summer of 2020, with the toppling of the statue of slave trader Edward Colston.
So why not pay homage to that moment, and the changing legacy of Bristol Harbour, with this design?
