Singing Ringing Tree

The Singing Ringing Tree is a wind-powered sound sculpture shaped like a windswept tree. It stands on a Pennine hill above Burnley in Lancashire. Completed in 2006, it is one of four sculptures in the Panopticons arts project. The project aimed to create 21st-century landmarks across East Lancashire. These structures were designed to provide wide views and symbolise the area’s revival. The sculpture was designed by architects Mike Tonkin and Anna Liu of Tonkin Liu. It is 3 metres tall and made of galvanised steel pipes that produce choral sounds in the wind. Some pipes are tuned by adding holes underneath to create harmonies across several octaves. In 2007, it won a National Award from the Royal Institute of British Architects for its design. Visitors reach the hilltop site by walking from Burnley. The sculpture’s metal branches sway and hum in the wind, filling the air with eerie, shifting tones. The surrounding Pennine landscape stretches out in all directions. On calm days the sound is softer, while breezy weather brings louder, more complex music.