Nottingham's skyline has been transformed with the installation of the final section of Aspire, Britain's tallest free standing public work of art.

The Aspire tower at The University of Nottingham stands 60 metres tall — higher than the Angel of the North and taller than Nelson's Column and the Statue of Liberty. But what you actually see is just 16 per cent of the entire 850 tonne structure. Another 84 per cent is buried under ground to give Aspire its strength and support.

At the launch the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sir Colin Campbell, said: "This is a unique addition to the city's skyline and it's intended not just to celebrate the university but to capture the aspirations of Nottingham city itself. The design is very strong, elegant and graceful, and it gives an indication of where this university is going in the future.

"Aspire is a gift to the university from a benefactor who believes in the university, believes in education and has a long-standing interest in art.

"It represents the most important statement we make as a university — to aspire."

The cost of design, manufacture and installation of Aspire which amounts to £800,000 has been funded through the great generosity of a philanthropist who prefers to remain anonymous - but who wished to create an emblem which will make people think about their ambitions and where they aim to go in life. 

The sculpture was named following a competition amongst The University of Nottingham's 6,500 staff and 36,000 students.

Aspire was designed by Ken Shuttleworth's world-renowned Make Architects Aspire. It is now the centrepiece of The University of Nottingham's Jubilee Campus which is breathing new life into a former industrial site in inner Nottingham.

Ken Shuttleworth said: "Aspire is symbolic of innovation and ambition - a fusion of art, architecture and engineering.

"It's a phenomenal feat of engineering, and it's an incredibly proud moment for us at Make to see this coming to fruition."

The delicate structure has been engineered for maximum strength and resilience, and is formed from hollow section steel tubes measuring 140mm in diameter. The lattice design efficiently transfers the considerable loads down to the ground while the aperture at the top is angled at 60 degrees to the north in order to minimise wind loads.

To harmonise with the terracotta-tiled cladding of the newly constructed Amenities Building and International House on Jubilee Campus Aspire has been painted red, subtly changing and lightening in tone as the structure rises.

The Aspire website has already attracted well over a thousand visitors. For more information go to http://aspire.nottingham.ac.uk/