John Sutch Cranes has helped install one of the headline artworks at this year’s River of Light festival, lifting it into place at Liverpool’s Pier Head.
The company was appointed by Liverpool City Council to carry out the lifts for Invisible Cities, a large walk-through light sculpture by Atelier Sisu. It now stands in front of the Royal Liver Building, the Cunard Building and the Port of Liverpool Building.
The work was completed last week, ahead of the festival opening on Friday 23 October.
Invisible Cities is built from interlocking metal ribbons mounted on steel towers. Visitors walk through it as it lights up after dark. Each section had to be lifted and held in exactly the right position while the install team fixed it from access platforms. That called for slow, controlled lifting over a busy public space.
The lift was planned in full before the crane arrived on site. A method statement and risk assessment was prepared and signed off by John Sutch Cranes’ Appointed Person, Phil Miller. The work was carried out under the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER) and BS 7121, the code of practice for the safe use of cranes.
The Pier Head is part of Liverpool’s World Heritage waterfront. That meant a tight working area, a lot of people walking past and some of the most recognisable buildings in the country only a few metres away.
Phil Miller, Technical Sales Representative, John Sutch Cranes, said: “Lifting in front of the Liver Building is about as Liverpool as it gets for us. You’ve got the public, a heritage site and a delicate piece of art, so everything is worked out on paper well before the crane turns up. On the day, it’s about doing exactly what we planned.”
Liverpool is home to one of John Sutch Cranes’ two depots, alongside Manchester. The company has a history of city centre work, including a lighting rig lift at St George’s Hall for the Peaky Blinders film shoot in 2024.
River of Light runs until 1 November and is free to visit.
