The Glasgow 2014 XX Commonwealth Games were the focal point of international sport in 2014, bringing together 71 nations and almost 5000 athletes from all over the world into the centre of Glasgow. The affectionately named Big G was one of Glasgow’s centrepieces for these games.

The Big G is a standalone stage-set that was situated in the very heart of the city, in George Square. It was unveiled in May 2014; with Glasgow City Council leader Gordon Matheson commenting that it provided an “opportunity for everyone – residents, visitors and spectators – to be part of the Games”. The installation was designed to provide an iconic backdrop for the sporting event, with visitors encourage to take ‘selfies’ for social media and share them with the world. It even has its own hashtag – #TheBigG, which was used tens of thousands of times by residents and visitors alike. The Big G was so popular that long queues developed with people wanting to get a snapshot beside it, and on several occasions #TheBigG was trending on Twitter.

Structurally, The Big G can be broken down into two main areas, consisting of the base and the upper element, which in total weighed almost 11 tonnes. The team at evolve were responsible for the complete structural design of The Big G, including the production of over 50 fabrication drawings, which allowed the piece to be manufactured from what started life as sheets of 5mm flat steel plate. evolve made use of SCIA Engineer in the structural analysis and design, which allowed us to optimise the location of connections to suit the smallest design forces, therefore minimising what was required.

The Big G has since been dismantled, however the effect that it had on the city of Glasgow and the wider community across Scotland has not been forgotten. Very soon after it was taken down, it was announced by Glasgow City Council that The Big G was to be re-sited to a permanent location within the grounds of Kelvingrove in Glasgow’s West End. This will ensure it remains a focal point of the city for years to come.