The Anti- Landmark: Nothing to do with Architecture
This project aims to build a movable hole into the Thames’ water. As such, it is not interested in adding yet another landmark to the city’s skyline, but to operate instead as a radical intervention to London’s geography, challenging the river itself, becoming waterscape.
Because of its same nature, the project challenges the conventional status of architectural objects. All design decisions are not intended to shape a form but to produce the effect of an art gallery submerged into the water. The space created by this intervention will allow for a unique experience and unexpected vistas views of the city. It will transform the water level into a fundamental horizon. The gallery, thus, will not just be floating along the river, but will be moving into the water as a periscope for London.
Inside the project, screens will be projecting scenes of London’s hectic activity, as well as recognizing the specific features of the different areas connected by the project’s movement along the river. Linked to the shore river front by floating bridges, the gallery will activate the river’s frontages at each stage of its trajectory, integrating itself to the public spaces of the city.
The ‘Thames hole’ will have six different stops along the river distributed in equal intervals during the time of display of the project. The void will provide an instance of attention to each fraction of the river between bridges, alluding to one generic theme about the city of London in each pause.
Instance 1: LANDMARKS Between Westminster and Hungerford Bridge
In a context bounded by many London’s landmarks, (Buckingham Palace, London Eye, the Parliament, the Mall) the void in the Thames it is transformed by projections of pictures and images in movement, which refer to ‘Landmark London’. The Anti- Landmark refers to its antithesis; the visible and distinguishable objects of the city.
Instance 2: MULTICULTURALITY Between Hungerford and Waterloo Bridge
In a sort of ‘cross section’ of the city this point alludes to the cosmopolitan and multicultural character of the city. London is understood as the capital for many ethnic groups and subcultures. Through an imaginary line from north to south which crosses the Muslim area west Regent Park, the British pubs of Marylebone High St, and the under culture life of Soho to afterwards link to the south of the river the Latin communities of Elephant and Castle and the further Afro-Caribbean. The void in this stop is fulfilled by the mixture of colours and sounds of London.
Instance 3: EVERYDAY LIFE Between Waterloo and Blackfriars Bridge
In South Bank the void is activated by the everyday life events which sustain the public realm of the river front. Graffiti, second hand books, and performances inject energy to the screens and projections of the hole in this point. At the same time the hole in the river activates the waterside back with its images and lights, being one of them many performances of the river front urban buzz.
Instance 4: INSTITUTIONALITY Between Blackfriars and Southwark Bridge
As an opposition to the spontaneous and free activities of the last stop, between St Paul Cathedral and the Tate Modern the hole refers to the Institutionalised cultural forms of the City of London. The Banks and Insurance Companies of ‘The City’ behind the Cathedral represented by the ‘Gherkin’ and Lloyd’s buildings, all found their instance in this stop as generic issues of the city. The formalised forms of the city are activated in this point.
Instance 5: MOBILITY Between Southwark and London Bridge
Surrounded by London Bridge Train Station in the south, Cannon Train Station in the north, and the Mansion House junction (Bank of England and Royal Exchange) where seven streets meet, the gallery activates the urban context with the issue of ‘mobility’. How different scales of movement and ways of transport shape and give the city its own character and life.
Instance 6: POWER Between London and Tower Bridge
The sixth pause of this moving void will be between the Tower of London in the south and the City Hall GLA Building in the north giving an instance to the issue of ‘power’ within cities. The two walkways (north and south) face each other one representing the Crown and Royalty, the other on the Government and the People. The gallery in between will mediate this tension through its projections and activities.
Hole-to-River front connection:
The void will be connected to the riverfront by means of a standard approaching system for moorings, as shown in the images (foto?). This is not a specifically designed system for the project but rather a default structure used broadly. These piers will be linked to the existent concrete stairs that can be found along the river walkways (north and south banks). At night, and when the gallery space is not in use by the people (but used as an images projector and lighting event), the approaching system will be disconnected from the void leaving the hole standing alone in the middle of the river: a void in the void.
This project aims to build a movable hole into the Thames’ water. As such, it is not interested in adding yet another landmark to the city’s skyline, but to operate instead as a radical intervention to London’s geography, challenging the river itself, becoming waterscape.
Because of its same nature, the project challenges the conventional status of architectural objects. All design decisions are not intended to shape a form but to produce the effect of an art gallery submerged into the water. The space created by this intervention will allow for a unique experience and unexpected vistas views of the city. It will transform the water level into a fundamental horizon. The gallery, thus, will not just be floating along the river, but will be moving into the water as a periscope for London.
Inside the project, screens will be projecting scenes of London’s hectic activity, as well as recognizing the specific features of the different areas connected by the project’s movement along the river. Linked to the shore river front by floating bridges, the gallery will activate the river’s frontages at each stage of its trajectory, integrating itself to the public spaces of the city.
The ‘Thames hole’ will have six different stops along the river distributed in equal intervals during the time of display of the project. The void will provide an instance of attention to each fraction of the river between bridges, alluding to one generic theme about the city of London in each pause.
Instance 1: LANDMARKS Between Westminster and Hungerford Bridge
In a context bounded by many London’s landmarks, (Buckingham Palace, London Eye, the Parliament, the Mall) the void in the Thames it is transformed by projections of pictures and images in movement, which refer to ‘Landmark London’. The Anti- Landmark refers to its antithesis; the visible and distinguishable objects of the city.
Instance 2: MULTICULTURALITY Between Hungerford and Waterloo Bridge
In a sort of ‘cross section’ of the city this point alludes to the cosmopolitan and multicultural character of the city. London is understood as the capital for many ethnic groups and subcultures. Through an imaginary line from north to south which crosses the Muslim area west Regent Park, the British pubs of Marylebone High St, and the under culture life of Soho to afterwards link to the south of the river the Latin communities of Elephant and Castle and the further Afro-Caribbean. The void in this stop is fulfilled by the mixture of colours and sounds of London.
Instance 3: EVERYDAY LIFE Between Waterloo and Blackfriars Bridge
In South Bank the void is activated by the everyday life events which sustain the public realm of the river front. Graffiti, second hand books, and performances inject energy to the screens and projections of the hole in this point. At the same time the hole in the river activates the waterside back with its images and lights, being one of them many performances of the river front urban buzz.
Instance 4: INSTITUTIONALITY Between Blackfriars and Southwark Bridge
As an opposition to the spontaneous and free activities of the last stop, between St Paul Cathedral and the Tate Modern the hole refers to the Institutionalised cultural forms of the City of London. The Banks and Insurance Companies of ‘The City’ behind the Cathedral represented by the ‘Gherkin’ and Lloyd’s buildings, all found their instance in this stop as generic issues of the city. The formalised forms of the city are activated in this point.
Instance 5: MOBILITY Between Southwark and London Bridge
Surrounded by London Bridge Train Station in the south, Cannon Train Station in the north, and the Mansion House junction (Bank of England and Royal Exchange) where seven streets meet, the gallery activates the urban context with the issue of ‘mobility’. How different scales of movement and ways of transport shape and give the city its own character and life.
Instance 6: POWER Between London and Tower Bridge
The sixth pause of this moving void will be between the Tower of London in the south and the City Hall GLA Building in the north giving an instance to the issue of ‘power’ within cities. The two walkways (north and south) face each other one representing the Crown and Royalty, the other on the Government and the People. The gallery in between will mediate this tension through its projections and activities.
Hole-to-River front connection:
The void will be connected to the riverfront by means of a standard approaching system for moorings, as shown in the images (foto?). This is not a specifically designed system for the project but rather a default structure used broadly. These piers will be linked to the existent concrete stairs that can be found along the river walkways (north and south banks). At night, and when the gallery space is not in use by the people (but used as an images projector and lighting event), the approaching system will be disconnected from the void leaving the hole standing alone in the middle of the river: a void in the void.
