Illuminated River, 2019

The Thames, London, United Kingdom

Illuminated River’s subtly moving sequences of LED light reveal the beauty of the existing architecture of London’s bridges and their relationship to the river that flows beneath them. Designed and programmed by Leo Villareal, alongside project architects Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands, the work brings to life aspects of the city otherwise hidden after dark. Rather than flooding the river itself with light, it draws attention to the bridges across the Thames, their relationship to one another and to the neighborhoods they connect on both banks. With Illuminated River, Villareal addresses the bridges along the Thames like jewels on a single thread: as singular objects to be celebrated for their individual character, and as part of a grand sequence.

The first four bridges – London, Cannon Street, Southwark, and Millennium – were completed in July 2019. Five more bridges – Blackfriars, Waterloo, Golden Jubilee, Westminster and Lambeth – were illuminated in April 2021. The artwork now spans from the London Bridge to the Lambeth Bridge. Free and accessible for all, this new public artwork encourages Londoners to enjoy their river and riverside at night. The Thames runs through 13 boroughs, flowing past cultural sites, historic monuments, parliament, palaces, warehouses, factories, parks, homes, pubs, and offices. Illuminated River returns attention to the architecture of the Thames itself.

The project is led by the Illuminated River Foundation, and has required the collaboration of London’s creative talent with statutory bodies and local communities. Apart from an initial investment of £250,000 from the Olympic Reserve towards the costs of an international competition, Illuminated River is funded through philanthropic sources, and will continue to seek the balance from private sources rather than the public purse.

For more detail about each of the bridges, behind the scenes interviews, ongoing public engagement and more visit Illuminated River Online and Illuminated River on Instagram.