YORKSHIRE SCULPTURE PARK

Even without the sculptures the Bretton estate would be a special place.

It has the classical, serene feel of an arboretum, where hours can be lost wandering along sun-dappled woodland paths. So, it was always going to be a brave move to scatter bold sculpures, at times angular and jarring, around this gentle space.

But it works, and thousands of people pass through its gates each year to touch, feel and explore the works in its “gallery without walls”. Works by some of the world's most revered contemporary sculptors, such as Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth, and Eduardo Paolozzi, are dotted over 500 acres of rolling parkland.

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There is also work by Andy Goldsworthy, considered a master in the confluence of art and nature.

There are also some fine gallery buildings, designed by the eco-architects Fielden Clegg Bradle. The new Underground Gallery is built using as many sustainable materials as possible and was designed to avoid the need for heating or cooling.

The park has a social mission too: to get schoolchildren, local communities and marginalised groups inspired about, and involved in, sculpture.

This is a fine example of a green space, one with a bold sense of purpose and a desire to avoid the environmental traps of usual tourist attractions.

Details: www.ysp.co.uk

Nominated by Abigail Ledder, Bradford

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