Sustainably-Designed Walking Trails
The Citylink Walking Trail Encourages Emissions-Free Travel
Colin Smith — November 3, 2025
The Citylink Walking Trail is a 25-minute pedestrian route commissioned by Oak View Group and developed in collaboration with NEWSUBSTANCE to connect Manchester city centre, including Piccadilly Station, to the Co-op Live venue. The route is presented as an artistically and architecturally driven public realm intervention that sequences a series of site-specific installations and wayfinding elements intended to enhance the arrival experience for visitors and local pedestrians.
Installed features along the route include a neon “Walk This Way” marker, crystalline Light Antennas that cast shifting daylight and nighttime color effects, a Hive Tunnel with low-energy LED lighting and an ambient soundscape, a collaborative “Love Letter to Manchester” mural by Stanley Chow and AKSE, the interactive Wonder Wall, a Climate Pledge Arch that displays aggregated walking-based carbon savings, and the Big M landmark framing the arena; the route is monitored for safety and supported by event stewards on high-attendance days.
