THE next tribute to a unique landmark’s half-century will be unveiled next month.

County Durham artist Steven Messam will offer his distinctive input into the year of celebrations to mark the 50th anniversary of Peterlee’s Apollo Pavilion.

He is most recently noted as the man behind Hush, the sea of yellow sails which spanned a gorge in Upper Teesdale, in the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural of Beauty.

His forthcoming venture provides a very much different backdrop for his creativity.

The pavilion, famed as an example of brutalist architecture, officially opened on the Sunny Blunts estate in 1969 and was named in honour of that year’s Apollo moon landings.

Durham County Council chose to mark five decades of the structure with a year of celebrations.

It has already seen it house a light installation, delivered in partnership with Artichoke, producer of Durham’s Lumiere festival, and scene of a 50th birthday ‘party’, which boasted live music and screenings of lunar-themed films.

The celebrations also form part of the council’s year of culture #Durham19.

They will continue with Messam’s take on ‘Apollo’, in which the pavilion is encased by four inflated sculptural forms, illuminated from within.

It will be open to the public to view from Thursday to Sunday, September 19 to 22 September, between 10am and 9pm daily.

The installation has been funded by Arts Council England and commissioned by the council.

Councillor Joy Allen, the council’s cabinet member for culture, said: “We are delighted to have a local artist like Steve involved in our celebrations.

“His Hush installation has proved a massive success and having seen images of how ‘Apollo’ will look, I am sure it will be just as popular.

The artist, himself, said: “It’s an amazing opportunity to be able to work with such an iconic piece of brutalist architecture.

“Such a bold statement of time, place and ambition, all within the context of the Apollo moon landings, I really looking forward to celebrate that spirit 50 years on.”

Messam is also to work with fellow artist Sara Cooper and students from The Academy at Shotton Hall and Dene Community School, both in Peterlee, on the Playful Places project, which will be displayed around the town.