Billings Bridge Mall is in Ottawa South, near the Rideau River downstream from Carleton University. Its name is taken from the bridge crossing the river at that spot. There is a sizable skylight over the second floor food court, which looks out onto the main floor below. Above this space are five life sized sculptures of swans, hanging in mid air, looking as if they're about to land.
Wow, very cool! I love these images!
ReplyDeleteInteresting sculptures about swan.
ReplyDelete" Looking as if they're about to land ". I like your phrase because it defines very well that time of the flight.
ReplyDeleteTomás.
It must be an impressive sight
ReplyDeleteLooks so real. Love these hanging sculptures of the swans.
ReplyDeleteThat's a very unusual display for a shopping mall William, lovely to look up and see the wingspan of the swans against the blue skies!
ReplyDeleteP.s. really enjoyed your series during 'Buskerfest' .. did you say who won this year? I couldn't find the winning act.
Very nice swans "flying" above.
ReplyDeleteThey look quite real!
ReplyDeletei love the wings. wonder what they are made of? guess they are the bird type that will never pooh on your head? positive thought!! ( ;
ReplyDeletereally neat.
ReplyDelete@Linda: thanks!
ReplyDelete@Orvokki: I agree.
@Tomas: the artist really caught that moment.
@Kate: it is.
@Nancy: I do too.
@Grace: and they are big. It was Pancho Libre, the first act I featured.
@Marianne: indeed.
@Marleen: they do.
@Beth: I imagine they are fibreglass or light ceramic.
@Tex: thanks!
what an awesome mall!
ReplyDeleteThose swans look so real. Very impressive!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful swans! But why no Canada geese?
ReplyDeleteI'm sure many people take a good look at such big birds coming in for a landing. Hanging sculpture is very attractive.
ReplyDeleteThey look graceful!
ReplyDeleteThis is very nice...a bit of entertainment while eating. Glad they are not real swans pooping in one's food, though!
ReplyDelete@Tanya: a number of years back they did serious renovations- the mall's basically one long corridor, and there weren't skylights, and the second floor area was closed in. They put in a lot of skylights all along the length, opened up this area, and put in that large atrium entrance. It made such a big difference.
ReplyDelete@Bill: they do look quite real!
@Norma: two reasons, really. First, it would feel like a copy cat of the Canada geese in the Eaton Centre in Toronto. Second, the swans are a nod to the real ones that spend the summer swimming in the Rideau River nearby.
@Red: they're pleasant to look at.
@Sharon: they certainly do.
@Lowell: that's true!
Swans are so beautiful--even indoors. Good take
ReplyDeleteMB
Wow, those swans are beautiful! What a lovely space they created :-)
ReplyDeleteA lovely sculpture, would enjoy seeing those.
ReplyDeleteAmazingly lifelike.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if they are done by Michael Snow?
ReplyDeleteWonderful sculptures; they look so real.
ReplyDelete@MB: thanks!
ReplyDelete@Tamago: they did quite well in creating this atrium space. This and the other modifications really gave the building a lot of light.
@Denise: I enjoy looking at them when I'm there.
@Revrunner: they are, yes.
@RedPat: I've never seen a plaque as to who did them, but they do seem in that style.
@Jenny: they really do. I have to photograph the real ones out on the river before they're taken in for the winter.
Magnificent sculptures.
ReplyDeleteDid you hear today on Canadian T.v. I think C.B.C
What bird would you like to have recognized for Canada's Bird.
I thought the Loon was.It is on the Loonie of ours. To-days is the last day to vote.
Choices. The white owl, the blue Jay and the Loon.
They said the Loon has a peaceful call in the lakes. The Bluejay has a irritating call. Like a close line. The owl is not bad.
Loon leads in online voting.
ReplyDeleteCanada already has an official national tree (the maple), and two official national animals (the beaver and the Canadian horse), but has never had a national bird.
Oh my goodness. Those are lovely.
ReplyDeleteThe sculptures looked almost like they were soaring. I wonder why swans were chosen instead of Canadian geese?
ReplyDeleteLike those flying geese!
ReplyDeleteLove the sculpture. Wonder why they didn't feature those pesky Canada geese!
ReplyDeleteJanis
GDP
Oh wow! The swans are beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI quite like these. But swans, not Canada Geese?! A silly goose is just a swan in disguise!
ReplyDeleteNice shots of the sculptures! I enjoyed seeing them.
ReplyDeleteSuch beautiful birds. It's nice to see them in scale.
ReplyDeleteImage number 4 from the top is my favourite:)
ReplyDeleteI love them!
ReplyDelete@Carolann: thank you.
ReplyDelete@Whisk: they are!
@Mari: Canada geese have been done at a different location.
@Furry Gnome: so do I.
@Janis: it would be repetitive.
@Lois: they are!
@Cloudia: I think the proximity of swans to this mall on the nearby river was a big factor.
@Kay: it is.
@Gunn: thanks!
@Jennifer: me too.