This image shows how a dramatic new public artwork in Inverness could appear on the city landscape if approved by councillors.
The riverside “tilting pier” is the headliner in a series of works set to grace the Highland capital.
The collection will be showcased in a public exhibition, beginning at the weekend, that will seek people’s views about the £758,350 project.
Friars Shott, on the north end of Huntly Street, is the chosen site for the pier, which has also been dubbed “the Gathering Place”.
Ken Gowans, chairman of the Inverness City Arts working group overseeing the project, said: “We’re at a critical planning point.
“Following advice from the artist, engineers and planners, we’ve chosen a preferred location for the siting of the main attraction and would like to hear public opinion on this choice and the other art installations planned.”
He described it as a “once in a lifetime opportunity to put Inverness on the destination map for art and cultural tourism”.
Thrilled by the prospect, city provost Helen Carmichael added: “The programme has been designed to enhance the riverside and complement the River Ness flood alleviation scheme.
“Funding has already been approved for this project but we still want to hear what people think of the proposals.”
Councillor Thomas Prag, a member of the working group, said Friars Shott was a perfect spot to draw people to view the river while also taking in the drama of the city’s old and new architecture.
The council has acknowledged that the project could be scrapped if public feedback in the coming weeks matched that of an early online exercise, which found many viewed it as a costly project in an era of unprecedented council budget cuts.
Councillors, however, stress that the bulk of the money has come from external sources and would only be snapped up elsewhere in Scotland if the project were snubbed by Inverness.
Other proposed attractions include relaxation areas for individuals or small groups, a paper or digital map and trail from the Ness islands to the rivermouth, riverside seating areas and poetry set into stones, and a water feature aimed at youngsters and families.
The council-commissioned project has been promised £305,600 (40%) funding from Creative Scotland, £280,750 (37%) from the city’s common good fund, £106,000 (14%) from the council itself and £66,000 (9%) from development agency Highlands and Islands Enterprise.
The exhibition is open between 9am and 5.30pm this Saturday at the Eastgate Centre. It then switches to Inverness Museum and Art Gallery until February 20.