Three Totem Sculptures In Front Courtyard Of The Allerton Building On Salford University Campus

The three concrete totem sculptures were created in 1966 by William Mitchell for the forecourt of the Allerton Building, designed by Halliday Meecham for Salford Technical College, now the University of Salford.

These sculptures are arranged in a triangular group, facing each other, specifically positioned so that the morning and evening sunlight illuminates their faces. Each sculpture is approximately 5.6 to 6 metres tall and consists of four blocks stacked together, forming approximately square columns. They feature individual designs and distinctive colours, described at the time of construction as sandy white, flaky black, and pale terracotta.

The four faces of each column display different details, including organic forms that resemble human features such as faces, eyes, and arms. Additionally, the sculptures are adorned with textured high relief patterns of swirls, squares, and shells, along with applied mosaic detailing of small coloured tiles, which highlights a Mayan influence.