London's Bridges Will Artistically Light up Thanks to a New York Artist
17 bridges from east to west.
The San Francisco Bay Bridge’s lights are a popular structural aesthetic and beloved in the Bay Area. The New York artist behind the project, Leo Villareal, will now be tapped to light up 17 of London’s bridges along the River Thames. Along with British architects and urban planners Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands, the group’s submission won the right to undertake one of the UK’s largest commissioned public art projects ever at the cost of the £20 million GBP (~$25 million USD). The permanent display will span 17 bridges covering over six nautical miles along London’s famed River Thames from Tower Bridge in the east to Albert Bridge in the west.
The project was envisioned by Hannah Rothschild of the National Gallery. She said that Villareal had a proven ability to paint with light and that Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands had the bridge building experience. “Their scheme is beautiful, ambitious and realizable but always considerate to the environment, lighting levels and energy conservation, the jury is convinced that the winning team will transform the centre of London while remaining true to the spirit and integrity of the Thames and its communities.” The proposed “rhythm of light” across each bridge will be created using adaptive computer code which will monitor and respond to the flow of the river and pedestrian traffic.
Villareal says he is “delighted and humbled” that the jury chose his team’s “artistically driven” vision and that “the whole team shares a belief in the power of large-scale public culture and art to enrich our cities.” The group will take the next year to study the river and listen to Londoners to develop the intricacies of the scheme. Check out the CGI mockup above and look out for this project in the coming years.
