Shortlisted designs revealed for Illuminated River light installation on Thames

Six shortlisted proposals have been unveiled for the Illuminated River design competition, which will see 17 London bridges between Albert and Tower bridge lit up as part of a permanent light installation.

Designs by six international teams – including New York architect Diller Scofidio + Renfro’s scrolling light proposal for Chelsea Bridge – will go on display from tomorrow (9 November) in a free public exhibition at London’s Royal Festival Hall.

Adjaye Associates

Other proposals include a ripple-covered London Bridge which mirrors the ripples of the Thames and a multicoloured Southwark bridge, both designed by a team led by Adjaye Associates.

The proposals are available to view online, and the public is being invited to share their thoughts on the designs via a survey at the exhibition and on the Illuminated River site. A jury including Lord Rothschild and Malcolm Reading will then decide the overall winner.

£10 million pledged

The competition organiser, Malcolm Reading Consultants, has also announced that £10 million is being pledged to go to the project – £5 million from Peter Baldwin and Lisbet Rausing through the Arcadia Fund, and a further £5 million from the Rothschild Foundation.

Sadiq Khan, mayor of London, says: “We believe that the Illuminated River will not only be a wonderful celebration of the River Thames, London’s vital artery, but will make a major contribution to the growing importance of London’s night-time economy, underlining London as…a centre for creative industries.”

The Illuminated River exhibition will be on display 9-29 November, with the winning design team being announced online on 8 December.