THIS vibrant oasis lay deep under London in the Thames Tideway Tunnel, more commonly known as the city’s new “super sewer“. Every year, around 40 million tonnes of raw sewage end up in the river Thames. But the new 25-kilometre-long concrete sewer, which runs along the river, should prevent 95 per cent of spills, providing a healthier environment for the surrounding wildlife when it becomes fully operational in 2025.
“We wanted to do something to celebrate and symbolise the environmental benefits that the project will have,” says Taylor Geall at Tideway, the firm building the sewer, of the temporary multi-sensory art installation, which was in place until 14 July. Playfully dubbed Loo Gardens, it is admired here by sewer engineer Jason Lyon.
In collaboration with Thames21, a charity dedicated to improving the health of the Thames, Tideway worked with artists to replicate the distinctive flora and fauna that can be found around the river. Created with repurposed waste cleared from the banks of the Thames, such as plastic, polyester and steel, replicas of grass, moss and colourful flowers like campanulas and buttercups lined a 10-metre stretch of the tunnel floor. Hanging around the 7-metre-wide arc were ivy, ferns, wisteria and weeping willows.
Composer Rob Lewis produced a bespoke soundscape to bring the garden to life, with a symphony of birdsong from native species such as swifts and house martins, punctuated by sounds of flowing water and rustling trees.
Aromas of grasses and wetlands also swirled around the tunnel – the finishing touch to this subterranean sanctuary.