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Four iconic London bridges have been lit up in the first phase of a project to illuminate the River Thames across the capital.
The Illuminated River project, which will eventually see up to 15 bridges lit along the Thames, is the brainchild of US artist Leo Villareal and UK architectural practice Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands. FM Conway was the project's contractor.
Four bridges – London, Cannon Street, Southwark and Millennium – are lit up in unison, with sequenced LED patterns on structure.
Once complete, the Illuminated River will cover a total of 8.3km of the Thames. The privately-funded work is set to remain in place for at least 10 years.
Villareal said: “The integrated nuances and motions across the bridges create a unified piece that celebrates and enhances the river as a continuous living entity.”
“The art subtly reveals their beauty and in some cases their muscularity, transforming even the humblest railway bridges into iconic forms,” Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands founding principal Alex Lifschutz added.
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan added: “The Illuminated River will celebrate the unique architecture and heritage of our bridges, showcase creativity, boost life at night and transform the way we think about the Thames.”
Site works for the first phase of the project began in January this year. The second phase of the project is set to be completed by Autumn 2020, which will include Blackfriars Bridge, Waterloo Bridge, Westminster Bridger, Lambeth Bridge and Golden Jubilee Footbridges. Phase three of the project will include work to transform Albert Bridge, Chelsea Bridge, Grosvenor Railway Bridge, Vauxhall Bridge, Blackfriars Railway Bridge and Tower Bridge.
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do we really need more unnecessary light pollution?