London-based studio Acrylicize is the design team behind Manchester, England’s newest piece of public art–five giant lamp sculptures situated in Piccadilly Place. Each piece was constructed to honor and represent a specific time in Manchester’s rich history, as well as celebrate what is to come. Ranging from 11 to 20 feet tall, the structures are based on various lamp styles from five distinct design eras: Art Deco, Art Nouveau, Victorian, mid-century, and modern.

From an enormous Art Deco-style reading lamp to a colossal Anglepoise, each energetic piece provides shelter, seats, light, as well as electric heating in the winter. Some of the large lamp shades feature graphics that illustrate Manchester’s historical tales. By way of instance, the motifs shown on the Art Deco lamp celebrate Nobel Prize winner Earnest Rutherford, whose research at Manchester University contributed to the dividing of the first atom in 1932.

The Art Nouveau lamp pays homage to Manchester’s famous Chetham’s Library, while the 1950s-style lamp provides a nod the city’s pleased”worker bee” heritage with its honeycomb-patterned lattices. Finally, the modern Anglepoise lamp projects a brilliant display of light and color on the surrounding construction partitions, representing the city’s bright and lively future.

The founder of Acrylicize, James Burk, states,”We hope that the lamps will bring individuals together and provide an enduring legacy to the city…Manchester has this wonderful heritage in creation; it has been a true honor to tell the narrative of the city and its people. We expect that locals and visitors alike associate with the job with a sense of belonging and pride.”