The Big G... that's the name that has already been given to a spectacular new installation unveiled in Glasgow's George Square on Friday, which is at the heart of a major programme of activity to dress the city for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.

The gigantic, three-dimensional structure, which has been designed to reflect the Games logo and is taller than a double decker bus, measures a whopping 5.5m (18-feet) in height by 10.2m (33.5-feet) in circumference. At four tonnes, it also weighs the equivalent of an African elephant.

It will provide a stunning backdrop for Glasgow's celebrations when the Commonwealth Games begin on July 23 and will serve as an iconic welcome to the city for visitors, spectators and a global TV audience of some 1.5 billion viewers.

The launch of The Big G was carried out by Glasgow school pupils Cameron Foley (10) and Demi Murray (11) from Anderston Primary alongside Kian McCann and Hannah McLaughlin (both aged 11) from St Timothy's Primary; Ayoub Habeb and Simona Conkora (both aged 11) from Annette Primary; Dylan Johnston and Eve Lauren Connolly (both aged 11) from Blairdardie Primary and Alex Monteith (11) and Lee Duguid (12) from Sandaig Primary.

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Wearing colourful, branded Glasgow 2014 merchandise, they were joined by the Leader of Glasgow City Council, Councillor Gordon Matheson and Glasgow 2014 Chief Executive, David Grevemberg.

The mild steel and aluminium frame has been painted in the Games colours of red, green, yellow and blue. It is surrounded by four lanes of similarly-coloured floral landscaping, made up of more than 2,000 plants, and features the city's award-winning PEOPLE MAKE GLASGOW brand alongside 36 coloured sensory spotlights, which will bring the structure to life as visitors interact with it.

With less than two months until the Games' Opening Ceremony, The Big G is the centrepiece in a major programme of city-wide dressing as Glasgow gets ready to welcome thousands of visitors from across the UK and overseas to Scotland's largest ever sporting and cultural event.

Led by Glasgow City Council, the city's look planning has already begun and is geared at extending the Games experience beyond the sporting stadia - creating a vibrant, fun and inspiring environment for residents, visitors, ticket-holders, athletes, officials and the world's media in the build up to, and during, Games time from July 23 to August 3.

More than 1,600 lamppost banners will go up across Glasgow in the coming weeks to celebrate the look of the Games while the city's streets, libraries, sports and community centres will be dressed with nearly 12 kilometres of bunting.

The programme will also be rolled out at Glasgow's main transport hubs - Central and Queen Street Rail Stations, and Buchanan Street Bus Station - as well as along key travel routes to the competition venues, with a focus on enhancing the spectator journey and maximizing the Games' visual identity in the city.

Key dressing locations include the Clyde Gateway at Celtic Park and the Emirates Arena, London Road, Tollcross Road, Springfield Avenue, George Square, Buchanan Street, Royal Exchange Square and the Gallery of Modern Art, St Enoch Square, Sauchiehall Street, Broomielaw, the Albert Bridge, Argyle Street outside the Kelvingrove Museum and Art Gallery, the Riverside Museum, University Avenue, Byres Road, Balshagray Avenue and the various approaches to Hampden Park, including Prospecthill Road, Aikenhead Road and Cathcart Road among others.

(CD/IT)