The new Mayor of London Sadiq Khan is calling for submissions to create a permanent light art installation on 17 bridges across the city.
The aim of The Illuminated River is to encourage new investment and use of the river, bridges and riverbanks at night. Once complete it will become the world’s longest free, permanent outdoor river gallery.
The project is in keeping with the Mayor’s plans to appoint a Night Czar to help protect London’s live music venues, clubs and pubs. This includes the introduction of a 24-hour weekend Tube service on key lines from August.
Khan, said: “It is a really exciting opportunity to breathe new life through the heart of London each night. The project will throw a spotlight on the river and its banks, and extend their daytime bustle and buzz into the darker hours, supporting London’s burgeoning night-time economy.”
The full list of locations, travelling West to East, is: Albert Bridge, Chelsea Bridge, Grosvenor Bridge, Nine Elms Bridge (in development), Vauxhall Bridge, Lambeth Bridge, Westminster Bridge, Hungerford Bridge, Jubilee Bridge, Waterloo Bridge, The Garden Bridge (in development), Blackfriars Bridge, Blackfriars Railway Bridge, Millennium Bridge, Southwark Bridge, Cannon Street Railway Bridge, London Bridge, and Tower Bridge.
Hannah Rothschild, chair of the Illuminated River Foundation, said: “Even by London’s standards, this project is unprecedented in boldness and imagination. We’re looking for the finest artists, architects, designers, engineers, technologists and specialists to work together to help realise this exciting ambition. What matters is bold and innovative thinking to put the art back into London’s greatest artery.”
Shortlisted competitors will be asked to create the most forward-thinking and environmentally friendly designs, that build on London’s low-carbon emission drive.
The jury for the Illuminated River International Design Competition includes Lord Rothschild OM GBE (chairman of RIT Capital Partners plc, chairman of the Rothschild Foundation), Hannah Rothschild (chair of The Illuminated River Foundation), Malcolm Reading (architect and competition director), Ralph Rugoff (director, Hayward Gallery), and Justine Simons OBE (Head of Culture, Mayor of London).
The deadline for entries is 7 July 2016. Shortlisted schemes will go on show in a public exhibition at the end of the year, after which a winner will be announced.
More information at www.illuminatedriver.london
Images:
1. Westminster Bridge, looking north towards Charing Cross Station ©Luke Hayes / Malcolm Reading Consultants
2. From left to right: London Bridge, Cannon Street Railway Bridge, Southwark Bridge, Millennium Bridge, Blackfriars Bridge and Blackfriars Railway Bridge (all taken from the Shard) ©Luke Hayes / Malcolm Reading Consultants
3. Bridge Locations © 2016 Microsoft (bingmaps) / Malcolm Reading Consultants
4. View from the International Space Station © Tim Peake
5. Vauxhall Bridge from Millbank, looking southwest towards Battersea Power Station ©Luke Hayes / Malcolm Reading Consultants
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