Six finalists selected for London’s Illuminated River competition

The Illuminated River Foundation set up a competition to find the best lighting design scheme for London’s bridges along the river Thames. The project focuses on 17 individual crossings from Albert to Tower with the main goal of unifying these bridges via a light scheme that celebrates the city’s link with the river.

The competition has recently been narrowed down to six shortlisted teams and design concepts from over 100 submissions. The concepts from each team consist of the lighting design for the Chelsea, London, Waterloo, and Westminster bridges as well as a masterplan for the main road, rail, and pedestrian bridges.

Each design is currently on display in a free exhibition located at London’s Royal Festival Hall. A winning design will be selected by a jury of 11 professionals who are being advised by a supporting panel of bridge technicians, green technology and environment experts, and a lighting designer. The jury will make its final decision on Dec. 8, 2016 with the first phase of the project planed to begin in 2018.

You can view videos of each of the shortlisted teams’ concepts below. Click on the concept name for more information.

Blurring Boundaries

Adjaye Associates

The Eternal Story of the River Thames

AL_A

Synchronizing the City: Its Natural and Urba Rhythms 

Diller Scofidio + Renfro

Current

Leo Villareal with Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands and Future\Pace

A River Ain't Too Much To Light

Les Éclairagistes Associés, ecqi ltd., and Federico Pietrella

Thames Nocturne

Sam Jacob Studio and Simon Heijdens