Large concrete reliefs turn an ordinary underpass into a dense visual account of Glenrothes's mining, paper and electronics industries.
Quick facts
- Date
- 1970
- Architect / designer
- David Harding
- Type
- Moulded-concrete underpass reliefs
- Designation
- Listed building, Category C (LB51793)
- OS grid reference
- NO 26656 02215
Architecture and continuing use
Non-repeating patterns cover the wing walls at both entrances. Wheels, pulleys, cables, circuitry and signs are cast directly into the concrete, so structure and artwork become inseparable.
Its story
David Harding completed the relief in 1970 as part of his collaboration with engineers and builders. Industrial imagery anchors the work to local employment, while hidden signatures record the people who made the underpass.
Why it is included
The work demonstrates the Town Artist model at its most integrated: public art is part of infrastructure rather than an object placed beside it.
What to notice
- Mechanical forms merging with abstract patterns.
- Different designs at the north and south entrances.
- Discreet signatures incorporated into the northern relief.
Reading the surroundings
Use the pedestrian route normally, remain alert to cyclists and other users, and avoid touching, marking or climbing on the relief walls.
Timeline
- 1968 Glenrothes appointed Harding to collaborate directly with its development teams.
- 1970 The Western Avenue structure received its industry-themed concrete surfaces.
- 2011 Listing protected the artwork as part of the underpass fabric.
- 2026 Fife Council still cites Industry among Harding's defining local works.
What we know — and what remains uncertain
The statutory title is Untitled; Industry, Past and Present is the established explanatory name used here.
Sources & further reading
- Historic Environment Scotland: Industry, Past and Present, LB51793 — Designation category, mapped location, date, fabric, authorship and architectural or historical interest.
- Fife Council: tribute to David Harding — Current confirmation that Industry remains part of Glenrothes's public-art legacy.
Location
OS grid reference NO 26656 02215 · Location confidence: High: the statutory designation supplies an official mapped National Grid Reference and the current source confirms the Place relationship or present identity. · Select the marker to open its satellite view in Google Maps. On desktop, drag Pegman (the yellow figure) onto a blue road. On mobile, turn on the Street View layer and tap a blue road. Other photo markers may be user-contributed.
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