Neue Lichtbrücken in London
Die Themse ist Londons Hauptfluss. Er durchschneidet die Mega City. Über 15 Brücken überqueren den Tiden Fluss und sollen herausgestellt werden. Jetzt sind im Sommer die ersten 4 Brücken fertiggestellt werden. Wir kennen die beleuchteten Brücken von damals und werfen einen Blick auf das Neue. Zur neuen Beleuchtung gibt es auch neue Fakten und Regeln: Beleuchtung wird um 2 am abgeschaltet, um Energie zu sparen.
Lichtkünstler Leo Villareal setzt mit seiner Brückenbeleuchtung einen Kontrapunkt zum Vorherigen. Er möchte ähnlich im Rhythmus wie Monet, Turner die Brücken poetisch mit Licht bemalen.
Artist Leo Villareal said: “With Illuminated River, the largest artwork I’ve ever conceived, I’m hoping to follow in the footsteps of Monet, Turner and Whistler and reveal the truly unique, inspiring and poetic character of the Thames. Studying the river and the history of London for the last three years, was a fantastic experience that changed me and allowed me to grow as an artist. The integrated nuances and motions across the bridges create a unified piece that celebrates and enhances the river as a continuous living entity. I’m both delighted and humbled by the completion of this initial phase and I can’t wait for the public to experience the first four bridges.” Der Initiator Alex Lifschutz möchte insbesondere auch die Geschichte mit der Lichtkunst verbunden wissen: "Founding Principal of architecture practice Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands, Alex Lifschutz said: “This arts project will illuminate not just the river but also the history and architecture of our wonderful city by revealing its iconic bridges in a new light. The art subtly reveals their beauty and in some cases their muscularity, transforming even the humblest railway bridges into iconic forms. Of particular interest to me is that transformative quality – with literally the lightest touch the art alters our view of our city and unites the river as never before”.
Illuminated River – Key Messages & Concept
• Illuminated River is an ambitious new public art commission to light
up to 15 bridges on the Thames at night.
• The Illuminated River artwork is created by internationallyacclaimed
American artist Leo Villareal and award-winning British
architects Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands.
• Illuminated River is the first artist-led, cohesive vision for the
Thames bridges, celebrating them as architectural, social and
historical landmarks, and creating a symbolic link across the capital.
• Villareal uses the latest LED technology to ‘paint with light’,
producing sequenced patterns that subtly unfold across the bridge
structures. Villareal engages with the site of each bridge,
respecting and revealing their individual histories and architectural
features, while his unifying vision celebrates the Thames as
London’s vital artery. Villareal takes his place in a long line of artists
inspired by the Thames, using colours influenced by the palettes of
Impressionist and English Romantic painters.
• Illuminated River spans from Albert Bridge in the west to Tower
Bridge in the east. Once complete, it will be the longest public art
commission in the world at 2.5 miles in length, along 4.5 nautical
miles of the River Thames. It will be seen over 2 billion people during
its 10 year lifespan.
• Illuminated River will create an enduring public artwork for London,
reflecting its ambition and creativity on a global stage.
• Illuminated River will be delivered in phases, with the first phase
(London, Cannon Street, Southwark and Millennium Bridges)
complete Summer 2019, and the next phase (bridges from
Blackfriars Road Bridge to Lambeth including Waterloo, Golden
Jubilee Footbridges and Westminster Bridge) on track to be
completed in Autumn 2020.
Backround Information:
About Leo Villareal
The acclaimed American artist Leo Villareal (b. 1967 Albuquerque, New Mexico), a
pioneer of LED light sculpture, creates intricate light installations for both gallery
and public settings. He came to international prominence through his project, The
Bay Lights, which illuminated the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge in 2013. Initially
conceived as a two-year display, the popularity of The Bay Lights led it to be
transformed into a permanent installation, now an iconic visual element of the San
Francisco’s landscape. His installations use custom, artist-created code, which
constantly changes the frequency, intensity, and patterning of lights through
sequencing.
About Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands
Award-winning architects, design consultants and urban planners, Lifschutz
Davidson Sandilands (LDS), has worked on major projects across London including
the Golden Jubilee footbridges, and have a 25-year relationship with communities and
businesses in London’s South Bank, having created the area’s urban design strategy
and worked with the Coin Street Community Builders to regenerate the area through
the development of co- operative housing, and commercial ventures to support new
urban realm initiatives. Its portfolio encompasses residential, workplace, urban
design and master planning, interior design, retail and restaurants, as well as
education and community buildings. Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands has won over 80
awards including Architects’ Journal ‘Architect of the Year’ in 2017 and RIBA ‘London
Architect of the Year’ in 2015.
About Illuminated River Foundation
An independent charity, the Illuminated River Foundation was set up to deliver the
major public artwork, Illuminated River. The Foundation is committed to raising private
funding for the installation and maintenance of the project, and has already received
generous funding from Arcadia – a charitable fund of Lisbet Rausing and Peter
Baldwin, the Rothschild Foundation and the Blavatnik Family Foundation. Seed
funding was awarded from the Mayor of London’s Office for the initial competition,
and from the City of London Corporation for replacing light fittings on London
Bridge.
Illuminated River is supported by the Mayor of London,
and governed by an independent board of trustees chaired by Neil Mendoza, Chairman of the Landmark
Trust and Non-Exec Board Member of DCMS. The Foundation is led by curator and
public realm champion Sarah Gaventa, who was formerly Director of CABE Space at
the Commission for Architecture and Built Environment.
www.illuminatedriver.london
About Signify
Signify (Euronext: LIGHT) is the world leader in lighting for professionals and
consumers and lighting for the Internet of Things. Our Philips products, Interact
connected lighting systems and data-enabled services, deliver business value and
transform life in homes, buildings and public spaces. With 2018 sales of EUR 6.4
billion, we have approximately 29,000 employees and are present in over 70
countries. We unlock the extraordinary potential of light for brighter lives and a
better world. We have been named Industry Leader in the Dow Jones Sustainability
Index for two years in a row. News from Signify is located at the Newsroom, Twitter
and LinkedIn. Information for investors can be found on the Investor Relations page.
Illuminated River Key Funders
The Rothschild Foundation, Arcadia Fund, Blavatnik Family Foundation
Environment
Illuminated River’s smart LED technologies will replace the current outdated and
inefficient lighting on the bridges, providing a more long-term sustainable solution.
By removing metal halides and halogens, and employing energy efficient LEDs with
custom fittings, it will reduce current energy consumption as well as direct light spill
onto the river, providing a better environment for Thames flora and fauna. While the
former lighting on the bridges ran all night, from dusk until dawn, Illuminated River
will be switching all the lights off at 2am as an encouragement to others to do the
same, and to protect the darkness that is also fundamental to the Thames.
Energy for Cannon Street Bridge is supplied by Ecotricity, who use 100% renewable
green energy. The electrical supply for Millennium, Southwark and London bridges
comes from City of London’s appointed supplier which provides 40% of its energy
from renewable sources. The City of London aims to increase this to 100% during the
lifetime of Illuminated River.
Galerie