Illuminated River
Pentagram is part of the winning team of the Illuminated River competition, one of the UK’s biggest ever public art commissions.
A render of the scheme, provided by Futurecity.
Harry Pearce and team will design the visual identity for Illuminated River, a public art project of an unprecedented scale that will light up London's 17 bridges.
Pearce and team worked closely with internally acclaimed New York light article Leo Villarreal, renowned London architects and urban planners Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands, and placemaking agency Futurecity on the scheme, which saw submissions from 105 teams in 20 countries around the world.
Mayor Sadiq Khan announcing the winning team.
The winning team was announced on 7 December by London's Mayor Sadiq Khan. “We saw an incredible response to this fascinating competition, showing that London continues to inspire creatives from around the globe, and is open to all," says Khan. "There were some spectacular ideas, and I can’t wait to see the winning design light up the Thames."
The permanent scheme will span across six nautical miles from Tower Bridge to Albert Bridge, uniting London from East to West and reigniting the spirit of the Thames. The bridges will be used as the canvas for a subtle, gently changing light sculpture which reveals and celebrate the architectural qualities of each structure. This will be created using computer code which monitors and responds to the ebbs and flows of the river and pedestrians, creating ‘current’ which allows an ecosystem of light to blossom.
"To be working with this exceptional team of people is a great thrill and to create an identity for a 6 mile long, 17 bridges full living mirror of the city is an extraordinary challenge," says Pearce.
The scheme is managed by the Illuminated River Foundation, that will raise the funds for the costs of the project from private and philanthropic sources rather than the public purse. The Foundation has already announced the first pledges totalling £10 million in November. This includes £5 million from the Arcadia Fund (Peter Baldwin and Lisbet Rausing) and £5 million from the Rothschild Foundation.
