Threads of a Nation

Live Borders

2021

For the Great Tapestry of Scotland in Galashiels, Bright designed an immersive exhibition experience that brings Scotland’s history to life through carefully considered interpretation, spatial design and visitor flow. At its heart, a purpose-built gallery presents the tapestry as a continuous journey, framed by interiors and architecture inspired by the surrounding landscape and the Borders’ rich textile heritage.

The Great Tapestry of Scotland is one of the world’s largest community arts projects, comprising 160 hand-stitched panels that tell the story of Scotland’s history, heritage and culture from geological beginnings to modern times.

The Great Tapestry of Scotland is one of the world’s largest community arts projects, comprising 160 hand-stitched panels that tell the story of Scotland’s history, heritage and culture from geological beginnings to modern times.

Bright’s exhibition design presents the tapestry as a continuous narrative, with the artwork wrapping around radial display walls inside a purpose-built gallery designed specifically for the scale and flow of the installation.

Bright’s exhibition design presents the tapestry as a continuous narrative, with the artwork wrapping around radial display walls inside a purpose-built gallery designed specifically for the scale and flow of the installation.

The gallery’s architecture takes direct inspiration from Galashiels itself, its geometric roofline echoes the town’s distinctive pattern of pitched roofs, gables and spires, while interior finishes reference the Scottish Borders’ long textile-making tradition.

The gallery’s architecture takes direct inspiration from Galashiels itself, its geometric roofline echoes the town’s distinctive pattern of pitched roofs, gables and spires, while interior finishes reference the Scottish Borders’ long textile-making tradition.

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