Six proposals to develop an ambitious lighting scheme for 17 bridges along the River Thames, London’s oldest living line of infrastructure and imagination, have gone on show to the public.
A public showcase, The Illuminated River Exhibition, is being held at the Royal Festival Hall (Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London SE1 8XX) between Wednesday 9th – Tuesday 29th November. The exhibition is located on Level 3, Blue Side, and open 10am – 10pm daily. Admission is free.
An online exhibition of all six shortlisted designs can also be viewed here. Members of the public are encouraged to leave comments on the proposals to inform the judges’ decision.
Leo Villareal, the artist who created The Bay Lights (a monumental public art installation on San Francisco’s Bay Bridge), architects Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands and curators FuturePace (Futurecity’s ‘gallery without walls’ initiative) present a transformational artwork, in three stages, designed to enliven the Thames using dynamic light.
Villareal’s ambitious composition integrates light and colour on the seventeen bridges, from Tower Bridge to Albert Bridge, creating a sensitive, interactive and site-specific interplay with the river.
A strategic scheme along both banks will control commercial lighting and introduce the setting for future cultural projects.
Additional elements include a ground-breaking partnership between the MBNA Thames Clippers and artists Random International, immersive installations by Japanese technologists teamLab and other opportunities that foster community and diversity.
The project applies contemporary artist-created software to provide a kinetic programme harnessing the universal power of light an inviting meaningful and accessible public engagement in the heart of London.
See further detail about the proposal on the Illuminated River website here.
Leave your comments on the six design proposals here.