Would you like to inspect the original subtitles? These are the user uploaded subtitles that are being translated:
1
00:31:52,190 --> 00:31:54,560
who have been inspired by the Thames.
2
00:31:10,760 --> 00:31:14,240
in different directions. And that's what I'm working through right now.
3
00:31:14,240 --> 00:31:17,960
So I can again turn these layers, you know, off and on.
4
00:31:17,960 --> 00:31:22,480
The light is moving from outwards, in, across the piers.
5
00:31:22,480 --> 00:31:25,040
It's sort of expressing the depth of the structure as well,
6
00:31:25,040 --> 00:31:27,400
cos it really comes into vision, doesn't it?
7
00:31:27,400 --> 00:31:29,730
You really get beautiful colours, actually.
8
00:31:29,730 --> 00:31:32,320
Well, this bridge is... You know, it's so striking.
9
00:31:32,320 --> 00:31:36,010
This kind of teal colour that it's painted is very specific.
10
00:31:36,010 --> 00:31:39,560
And I just love this bridge. I mean, it's just so beautiful.
11
00:31:39,560 --> 00:31:42,020
Every rivet, you know, I think is gorgeous.
12
00:31:42,020 --> 00:31:44,660
So picking up the light and the way... When it rakes across,
13
00:31:44,660 --> 00:31:49,920
you see each little detail in a way that you didn't really see before.
14
00:31:49,920 --> 00:31:52,190
It's not just visual artists like Leo
15
00:31:07,450 --> 00:31:10,760
So, in some cases, you know, we're moving light across, you know,
16
00:31:54,560 --> 00:31:55,870
BOAT HORN HONKS
17
00:31:57,150 --> 00:32:01,140
Over the years, composers too have fallen for London's great river,
18
00:32:01,140 --> 00:32:04,230
and perhaps none more than George Frideric Handel,
19
00:32:04,230 --> 00:32:08,000
with his 1717 masterpiece, Water Music.
20
00:32:08,000 --> 00:32:12,680
MUSIC: Water Music
21
00:32:12,680 --> 00:32:17,430
Commissioned by King George, it was not only inspired by the Thames,
22
00:32:17,430 --> 00:32:21,260
but was actually first performed on the Thames.
23
00:32:21,260 --> 00:32:23,460
In an outrageous display of showmanship,
24
00:32:23,460 --> 00:32:26,770
a 50-strong orchestra was floated down the river,
25
00:32:26,770 --> 00:32:29,380
with Handel himself conducting,
26
00:32:29,380 --> 00:32:33,810
as the delighted king and his flotilla floated behind.
27
00:32:33,810 --> 00:32:36,610
In the spirit of Handel, but with a modern twist,
28
00:30:29,020 --> 00:30:31,970
and climbing gear... Yeah. ..changing the lights.
29
00:29:53,320 --> 00:29:57,680
on first impressions it seems some of them aren't working.
30
00:29:57,680 --> 00:30:00,530
With limited time left and the summer nights getting shorter,
31
00:30:00,530 --> 00:30:04,600
I'm sure this is not the start Leo was after.
32
00:30:04,600 --> 00:30:08,960
Well, we have the lights installed in the right locations.
33
00:30:08,960 --> 00:30:12,960
So, right now, we have crews over there, pointing the lights,
34
00:30:12,960 --> 00:30:14,740
which is also really important. Yeah.
35
00:30:14,740 --> 00:30:16,810
So I can see there's a couple of lights not working,
36
00:30:16,810 --> 00:30:18,610
and there's one that's slightly flashing.
37
00:30:18,610 --> 00:30:20,620
Is that just all part of the teething kind of...?
38
00:30:20,620 --> 00:30:22,690
You know, we're debugging now.
39
00:30:22,690 --> 00:30:25,820
We can't put a curtain over it and do our work and then unveil it.
40
00:30:25,820 --> 00:30:29,020
You know? Yeah, I can see there's people over there with flashlights
41
00:32:36,610 --> 00:32:41,050
the Illuminated River Foundation has commissioned music to accompany
42
00:30:31,970 --> 00:30:33,450
Just have to embrace that part of it.
43
00:30:33,450 --> 00:30:37,050
Still, even with it in its partially-installed state,
44
00:30:37,050 --> 00:30:39,130
I still can learn...
45
00:30:39,130 --> 00:30:42,090
...things about what eventually will work.
46
00:30:42,090 --> 00:30:44,050
I like Leo's optimism.
47
00:30:44,050 --> 00:30:46,690
With just weeks to go, and short nights,
48
00:30:46,690 --> 00:30:51,170
he's going to need to work hard to get the bridges ready.
49
00:30:51,170 --> 00:30:54,810
Leo is using a state-of-the-art bespoke piece of software,
50
00:30:54,810 --> 00:30:57,120
specially written for the project.
51
00:30:57,120 --> 00:31:00,800
It gives him the ability to control each light node
52
00:31:00,800 --> 00:31:04,480
to the desired hue, colour and brightness.
53
00:31:04,480 --> 00:31:07,450
We still can control each one and create different relationships.
54
00:34:48,420 --> 00:34:52,780
OK, so in this section there is this constant sound of metal being hit.
55
00:34:01,400 --> 00:34:06,970
So this section, the violins are kind of playing this chugging part,
56
00:34:06,970 --> 00:34:10,250
which I kind of wanted to imitate the sound
57
00:34:10,250 --> 00:34:12,760
of an old steam train kind of chugging along.
58
00:34:12,760 --> 00:34:15,170
TRAIN CHUGS AND HISSES
59
00:34:15,170 --> 00:34:18,020
So I've come down a couple of nights this week to kind of see
60
00:34:18,020 --> 00:34:21,530
the motions of the river and to watch the tide. And I've never...
61
00:34:21,530 --> 00:34:25,370
never really realised how big it is.
62
00:34:25,370 --> 00:34:28,480
And I'm hoping to replicate this in the brass.
63
00:34:28,480 --> 00:34:30,990
BRASS SWELLS
64
00:34:33,550 --> 00:34:36,690
They're playing these big crescendo chords, kind of...
65
00:34:38,290 --> 00:34:40,290
...becoming more intensified.
66
00:34:40,290 --> 00:34:46,480
This is to represent the sort of ebb and flow of the Thames underneath.
67
00:33:58,470 --> 00:34:01,400
VIOLI NS PLAY RHYTHMICALLY
68
00:34:52,780 --> 00:34:54,570
BELL CHIMES
69
00:34:54,570 --> 00:34:58,110
And that was to represent the site of a medieval steel yard
70
00:34:58,110 --> 00:35:00,860
where the bridge was built upon.
71
00:35:00,860 --> 00:35:02,100
BELL CHIMES
72
00:35:02,100 --> 00:35:05,020
We're now getting to what I think is the climax of the piece,
73
00:35:05,020 --> 00:35:08,500
where we introduce this "ticking" sound...
74
00:35:08,500 --> 00:35:11,570
ORCHESTRA PLAYS SHORT, RHYTHMIC LOOPS
75
00:35:11,570 --> 00:35:14,260
...to represent the modern working day,
76
00:35:14,260 --> 00:35:17,650
the importance of time for the workers that use this bridge
77
00:35:17,650 --> 00:35:19,780
every day in the morning and the evening.
78
00:35:26,900 --> 00:35:29,850
The collaboration of all these creative minds
79
00:35:29,850 --> 00:35:33,010
is one of the things that really excites me about this project.
80
00:33:24,520 --> 00:33:27,310
I found out that the name of Cannon Street
81
00:32:41,050 --> 00:32:45,810
the river's new multimillion-pound lighting installation.
82
00:32:45,810 --> 00:32:48,730
Students from the Guildhall School have been invited
83
00:32:48,730 --> 00:32:51,970
to compose a piece for each of the four bridges
84
00:32:51,970 --> 00:32:56,320
and, if chosen, will feature in a special app allowing users
85
00:32:56,320 --> 00:32:59,040
to hear the composition when close to the bridge.
86
00:33:01,710 --> 00:33:03,860
ORCHESTRA TUNES UP
87
00:33:03,860 --> 00:33:07,350
Today, the school's orchestra are tuning up.
88
00:33:07,350 --> 00:33:11,990
They're about to record a track by 22-year-old Sam Dingley.
89
00:33:11,990 --> 00:33:15,120
He's taken inspiration from Cannon Street Bridge
90
00:33:15,120 --> 00:33:17,200
and the adjoining railway station,
91
00:33:17,200 --> 00:33:21,400
where he's recorded live sounds to enrich the piece.
92
00:33:21,400 --> 00:33:24,520
When I first did my research into Cannon Street,
93
00:29:50,040 --> 00:29:53,320
But, despite the effort of the team to get all the lights ready,
94
00:33:27,310 --> 00:33:29,640
was taken from Candlewick Street,
95
00:33:29,640 --> 00:33:34,080
which is a street nearby, where the candle makers used to work.
96
00:33:34,080 --> 00:33:36,150
I decided to take this as inspiration
97
00:33:36,150 --> 00:33:38,940
as the introduction of my piece.
98
00:33:38,940 --> 00:33:40,480
So let's take a listen to that.
99
00:33:40,480 --> 00:33:42,680
MATCH STRIKES AND FLARES
100
00:33:42,680 --> 00:33:45,360
STRINGS BUILD STEADILY
101
00:33:45,360 --> 00:33:46,990
So this is kind of representing
102
00:33:46,990 --> 00:33:49,560
the start of the bridge's history being made.
103
00:33:49,560 --> 00:33:52,310
SYNTH LOOP BEGINS We then kind of bring in this...
104
00:33:52,310 --> 00:33:55,300
these electronics, this synth sound.
105
00:33:55,300 --> 00:33:58,470
Which then kind of brings in the string section.
106
00:26:03,460 --> 00:26:06,690
to so many artists over the years.
107
00:25:15,710 --> 00:25:20,470
The task ahead of him is to programme the 69,000 LEDs
108
00:25:20,470 --> 00:25:24,670
on four London bridges to realise his artistic vision.
109
00:25:26,030 --> 00:25:27,790
And, in four weeks' time,
110
00:25:27,790 --> 00:25:30,540
his masterpiece will be revealed to London.
111
00:25:33,850 --> 00:25:36,330
Leo is the latest in a long line of artists
112
00:25:36,330 --> 00:25:39,040
who have drawn inspiration from the Thames.
113
00:25:41,710 --> 00:25:43,920
From Whistler...
114
00:25:43,920 --> 00:25:44,810
...and Turner..
115
00:25:47,390 --> 00:25:48,980
...to Canaletto and, of course,
116
00:25:48,980 --> 00:25:52,530
the beautiful impressionistic work of Claude Monet.
117
00:25:56,510 --> 00:25:58,790
I'm taking this opportunity to learn more
118
00:25:58,790 --> 00:26:03,460
about why London's great river has been such a consistent inspiration
119
00:25:12,990 --> 00:25:15,710
Leo Villareal will be arriving in London.
120
00:26:06,690 --> 00:26:08,100
Beautiful building, isn't it?
121
00:26:08,100 --> 00:26:10,940
VOICEOVER: And, to do this, I'm meeting up with one of Britain's
122
00:26:10,940 --> 00:26:14,700
most prolific contemporary artists, Stephen Wiltshire.
123
00:26:14,700 --> 00:26:17,340
OK, Stephen. I think this is asked.
124
00:26:17,340 --> 00:26:20,460
VOICEOVER: We've come to the sixth floor of the Savoy Hotel,
125
00:26:20,460 --> 00:26:25,820
where Monet once painted his most famous Thames scenes.
126
00:26:25,820 --> 00:26:28,900
That's a view, isn't it? Very nice. Incredible.
127
00:26:28,900 --> 00:26:31,980
VOICEOVER: Stephen and I have come to try our hands at capturing
128
00:26:31,980 --> 00:26:36,050
the view that the French Impressionist loved so much.
129
00:26:36,050 --> 00:26:38,530
Which way should we draw, do you think, today?
130
00:26:38,530 --> 00:26:43,430
Starting at the Royal Festival Hall, the London Eye in the middle
131
00:26:43,430 --> 00:26:46,540
towards the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben. OK.
132
00:24:33,540 --> 00:24:35,850
Hello. Are you able to put a different colour on for us?
133
00:23:53,070 --> 00:23:55,960
Three, two, one.
134
00:23:55,960 --> 00:24:00,460
But finishing the installation isn't the end of the work for some.
135
00:24:00,460 --> 00:24:03,630
Before Leo arrives, the next step is to make sure
136
00:24:03,630 --> 00:24:06,830
the lights are angled at the bridges correctly.
137
00:24:06,830 --> 00:24:10,430
ON RADIO: Are we looking OK? It's a bit too high, I think.
138
00:24:10,430 --> 00:24:13,580
That's not bad. I still think you could go a tiny bit lower.
139
00:24:13,580 --> 00:24:17,380
Slightly between where we are and the ones in the middle between us?
140
00:24:17,380 --> 00:24:20,220
Yeah. Doesn't make any sense at all, I know.
141
00:24:20,220 --> 00:24:21,760
THEY LAUGH
142
00:24:23,130 --> 00:24:24,970
With Leo not here yet,
143
00:24:24,970 --> 00:24:28,840
I think I might have a go at lighting a London landmark myself.
144
00:24:28,840 --> 00:24:30,900
I mean, how hard can it be?
145
00:26:46,540 --> 00:26:50,100
Right, there's a chair over there. Shall we get that in place?
146
00:24:37,080 --> 00:24:38,400
What colour would you like?
147
00:24:40,010 --> 00:24:42,080
I would like, er...
148
00:24:42,080 --> 00:24:43,800
Can you do green?
149
00:24:43,800 --> 00:24:45,330
Can you do green?
150
00:24:46,890 --> 00:24:48,640
Whoa!
151
00:24:48,640 --> 00:24:50,280
What do you think?
152
00:24:50,280 --> 00:24:52,560
I think I preferred the sort of pink!
153
00:24:52,560 --> 00:24:55,560
Yeah, me too. I think we should go back to pink.
154
00:24:55,560 --> 00:24:58,490
We're all agreed - I'll leave it to Leo.
155
00:24:58,490 --> 00:25:02,440
There we go. There you go. It's voice-controlled.
156
00:25:02,440 --> 00:25:03,930
This is easy!
157
00:25:09,190 --> 00:25:12,990
In a few clays' time, renowned American light sculptor
158
00:28:55,330 --> 00:28:58,430
Lovely. I think it looks better. CHARLIE LAUGHS
159
00:28:17,700 --> 00:28:20,030
I've got some boats in there.
160
00:28:20,030 --> 00:28:23,560
And when Monet went blind towards the end of his life,
161
00:28:23,560 --> 00:28:28,180
he amazingly, like Stephen is today, painted from memory.
162
00:28:30,270 --> 00:28:31,470
Come and have a look.
163
00:28:31,470 --> 00:28:33,820
I sort of ran out of time.
164
00:28:33,820 --> 00:28:37,060
And I sort of was going all right here...
165
00:28:37,060 --> 00:28:39,700
...and then I sort of... It's got a bit sketchy over there.
166
00:28:39,700 --> 00:28:42,550
It's sketchy. THEY LAUGH
167
00:28:42,550 --> 00:28:45,280
The Houses of Parliament is...
168
00:28:45,280 --> 00:28:48,920
It should be over there. Yeah, should be over there cos... God.
169
00:28:48,920 --> 00:28:51,640
I know, it's very hard to...
170
00:28:51,640 --> 00:28:55,330
Architectural sort of shape rendering. Lovely.
171
00:28:15,330 --> 00:28:17,700
Have you got any boats on yours? Yeah. Yeah?
172
00:28:58,430 --> 00:29:00,570
Yeah, I think you're right. Thank you for the lesson.
173
00:29:00,570 --> 00:29:03,010
Yeah, you're welcome. Shall be have a look at yours?
174
00:29:03,010 --> 00:29:04,290
Oh, my gosh.
175
00:29:08,830 --> 00:29:13,460
So you looked at that view for about two minutes... Yeah, two minutes.
176
00:29:13,460 --> 00:29:15,270
...and then you've drawn that. Yeah.
177
00:29:22,340 --> 00:29:24,830
Beautiful. You've got the cars on the side. Yeah.
178
00:29:24,830 --> 00:29:27,830
The buses on the bridges. Yeah, on the bridges.
179
00:29:27,830 --> 00:29:29,710
God, you've done that so well. Yeah.
180
00:29:31,470 --> 00:29:34,020
Well, that's incredible. Yeah, appreciate it.
181
00:29:34,020 --> 00:29:36,900
That's an amazing skill. Pleasure. Amazing skill.
182
00:29:43,520 --> 00:29:47,520
After years of planning, Leo has finally arrived in the UK
183
00:29:47,520 --> 00:29:50,040
and is already down at Southwark Bridge.
184
00:27:32,050 --> 00:27:34,310
to remember intricate detail,
185
00:26:50,100 --> 00:26:52,690
Right, get yourself comfortable with that.
186
00:26:52,690 --> 00:26:53,890
I'm going to sit over here.
187
00:26:56,110 --> 00:26:59,820
VOICEOVER: At the age of three, Stephen was diagnosed as autistic
188
00:26:59,820 --> 00:27:03,150
and didn't learn to speak until he was nine.
189
00:27:03,150 --> 00:27:05,740
It was soon clear, however, that he was gifted
190
00:27:05,740 --> 00:27:09,260
with an incredible ability to draw.
191
00:27:09,260 --> 00:27:14,540
And now some of his panoramas can sell for in excess of £100,000.
192
00:27:14,540 --> 00:27:18,150
Drawing's always been very important to you, hasn't it, Stephen?
193
00:27:18,150 --> 00:27:22,380
Yeah, very important. What age did you really start to draw?
194
00:27:22,380 --> 00:27:26,260
About five. Five years old, drawing London landmarks.
195
00:27:26,260 --> 00:27:28,540
Big Ben, Houses of Parliament...
196
00:27:28,540 --> 00:27:32,050
Stephen also has an extraordinary ability
197
00:35:33,010 --> 00:35:36,300
But now, in the final countdown to the big launch,
198
00:27:34,310 --> 00:27:39,150
and he's drawing today after only a quick glance at the view behind him.
199
00:27:39,150 --> 00:27:41,540
You're not looking round and cheating, are you, Stephen?
200
00:27:41,540 --> 00:27:43,540
No, of course not. CHARLIE LAUGHS
201
00:27:47,680 --> 00:27:50,680
Despite being born 130 years apart,
202
00:27:50,680 --> 00:27:52,920
there are some wonderful similarities
203
00:27:52,920 --> 00:27:54,130
between Stephen and Monet.
204
00:27:55,330 --> 00:27:57,730
Both had their prodigious talent spotted
205
00:27:57,730 --> 00:28:00,130
before their sixth birthdays.
206
00:28:00,130 --> 00:28:03,170
Both prolific painters of the London skyline -
207
00:28:03,170 --> 00:28:07,340
Monet painted this view from the Savoy more than 100 times.
208
00:28:07,340 --> 00:28:10,190
And, despite having different styles,
209
00:28:10,190 --> 00:28:15,330
both artists are renowned for their incredible eye for detail.
210
00:43:01,260 --> 00:43:05,190
Finally, the new look Thames at night is revealed
211
00:42:23,430 --> 00:42:25,060
miles of cables,
212
00:42:25,060 --> 00:42:27,400
tens of thousands of light nodes,
213
00:42:27,400 --> 00:42:28,960
months of hard graft
214
00:42:28,960 --> 00:42:33,640
and cost millions of pounds to get to this point.
215
00:42:33,640 --> 00:42:36,300
But now, they're just a button push away
216
00:42:36,300 --> 00:42:39,380
from changing London at night forever.
217
00:42:39,380 --> 00:42:40,420
Four...
218
00:42:40,420 --> 00:42:41,420
Three...
219
00:42:41,420 --> 00:42:42,450
Two...
220
00:42:43,790 --> 00:42:46,420
CHEERING AND WHOOPING
221
00:42:48,020 --> 00:42:50,060
LEO: We're good, we're good.
222
00:42:50,060 --> 00:42:51,860
SARAH: They're on! W000!
223
00:42:51,860 --> 00:42:52,980
They're on!
224
00:42:19,580 --> 00:42:23,430
It's taken years of planning, hundreds of people,
225
00:43:05,190 --> 00:43:06,740
and each of the four bridges -
226
00:43:06,740 --> 00:43:08,430
Millennium,
227
00:43:08,430 --> 00:43:10,220
Southwark,
228
00:43:10,220 --> 00:43:11,660
Cannon Street
229
00:43:11,660 --> 00:43:13,100
and London -
230
00:43:13,100 --> 00:43:15,860
are resplendent in their new colours.
231
00:43:22,260 --> 00:43:26,150
While I've seen pictures of it on computer screens,
232
00:43:26,150 --> 00:43:28,260
while I've seen little sections of the bridges lit
233
00:43:28,260 --> 00:43:31,180
at different times during the testing,
234
00:43:31,180 --> 00:43:33,220
to actually be here on the river
235
00:43:33,220 --> 00:43:36,750
and to see four of these bridges lit up right down the Thames,
236
00:43:36,750 --> 00:43:38,380
it's...
237
00:41:32,460 --> 00:41:35,140
Eventually, the bus, and Leo, turns up.
238
00:41:02,800 --> 00:41:04,290
But there's a problem.
239
00:41:04,290 --> 00:41:06,800
We're here now, where are you?
240
00:41:06,800 --> 00:41:09,370
I would be laughing if I weren't crying.
241
00:41:09,370 --> 00:41:12,030
Due to a communication breakdown,
242
00:41:12,030 --> 00:41:14,120
one of the buses seems to have gone on
243
00:41:14,120 --> 00:41:16,390
a London by night sightseeing tour,
244
00:41:16,390 --> 00:41:19,280
and on board is Leo, the light artist.
245
00:41:19,280 --> 00:41:22,190
Who would think that the bus conductors thought
246
00:41:22,190 --> 00:41:23,810
they were doing a scenic tour?
247
00:41:23,810 --> 00:41:25,400
Anyway, never mind.
248
00:41:25,400 --> 00:41:26,990
I so want a drink.
249
00:41:26,990 --> 00:41:30,070
Without Leo, they can't turn the lights on.
250
00:43:38,380 --> 00:43:41,540
It's wonderful. It's really a wonderful thing.
251
00:41:37,140 --> 00:41:39,990
Did you go on the scenic route or did you come direct?
252
00:41:39,990 --> 00:41:42,350
The scenic route! Oh, my God.
253
00:41:46,070 --> 00:41:47,580
With everyone on board,
254
00:41:47,580 --> 00:41:51,630
the boat takes its position downstream of London Bridge,
255
00:41:51,630 --> 00:41:54,790
and the city awaits the big unveiling.
256
00:41:54,790 --> 00:41:57,190
At 10 o'clock on the dot,
257
00:41:57,190 --> 00:41:59,580
the time has finally come.
258
00:42:00,890 --> 00:42:06,820
So, in a moment, we are going to light these bridges
259
00:42:06,820 --> 00:42:08,730
with these buttons here,
260
00:42:08,730 --> 00:42:12,340
and I'm going to ask Sarah Gaventa, Hannah Rothschild
261
00:42:12,340 --> 00:42:16,530
and Leo Villareal to join me in pushing the buttons
262
00:42:16,530 --> 00:42:19,580
that will light up the four bridges ahead of us.
263
00:45:38,460 --> 00:45:42,470
I think there was a concern that by lighting four,
264
00:44:58,560 --> 00:45:01,250
I mean, the lights went on. Do you like it?
265
00:45:01,250 --> 00:45:02,520
Yeah, I love it!
266
00:45:02,520 --> 00:45:04,830
I mean, you know, I'm the wrong person to ask, right?
267
00:45:04,830 --> 00:45:07,360
But everybody else seems to love it. It's wonderful.
268
00:45:07,360 --> 00:45:09,910
I am really, really happy. Really happy.
269
00:45:09,910 --> 00:45:11,230
Slightly relieved?
270
00:45:11,230 --> 00:45:12,830
I'm very relieved. Excellent.
271
00:45:12,830 --> 00:45:15,750
I don't have to go and hide in the toilet, which is really good.
272
00:45:15,750 --> 00:45:19,360
And, you know, now I'm just moving on with the next five, you know?
273
00:45:19,360 --> 00:45:22,100
An amazing sense of dedication and focus on the prize.
274
00:45:22,100 --> 00:45:24,620
I think it's been an incredible achievement. Thank you.
275
00:45:24,620 --> 00:45:25,620
Thank you so much.
276
00:44:57,180 --> 00:44:58,560
I feel really relieved.
277
00:45:42,470 --> 00:45:44,590
and eventually 15 bridges,
278
00:45:44,590 --> 00:45:46,540
with a single lighting scheme,
279
00:45:46,540 --> 00:45:49,550
it might somehow lose the individuality of the bridges
280
00:45:49,550 --> 00:45:51,530
but it's done exactly the opposite.
281
00:45:51,530 --> 00:45:53,930
Somehow, what Leo and the team have done
282
00:45:53,930 --> 00:45:57,850
is bring out the character of each of the bridges.
283
00:45:57,850 --> 00:46:01,240
Almost make you see them in a new light.
284
00:46:01,240 --> 00:46:04,510
I really like it, the people on the boat really liked it,
285
00:46:04,510 --> 00:46:07,470
and now, I think, it's time for the people of London,
286
00:46:07,470 --> 00:46:10,710
the people of this country, to come down here, see the lighting
287
00:46:10,710 --> 00:46:13,900
and fall in love with these bridges all over again.
288
00:46:32,460 --> 00:46:54,180
Subtitles by Red Bee Media
289
00:44:27,920 --> 00:44:30,730
that you would get this incredible layering,
290
00:43:44,660 --> 00:43:46,460
I love what it's doing to Southwark Bridge.
291
00:43:46,460 --> 00:43:49,310
It just makes Southwark Bridge look so three-dimensional.
292
00:43:50,510 --> 00:43:52,710
I think it brings out the real beauty, actually,
293
00:43:52,710 --> 00:43:54,740
of Cannon Street Bridge,
294
00:43:54,740 --> 00:43:57,530
which is, funnily enough, underneath those concrete collars,
295
00:43:57,530 --> 00:44:00,860
a stunning bridge, and this really just sort of emphasises
296
00:44:00,860 --> 00:44:02,580
the flat, linear quality of it.
297
00:44:03,990 --> 00:44:06,430
And it's lovely to see the train moving across,
298
00:44:06,430 --> 00:44:09,380
and the light gently pulsing, and the colours.
299
00:44:09,380 --> 00:44:12,180
You can see the slight change in the colours.
300
00:44:12,180 --> 00:44:14,300
Actually, the colours are rather beautiful.
301
00:44:23,090 --> 00:44:27,920
I hadn't quite appreciated that that would happen -
302
00:40:58,240 --> 00:41:00,810
she's commissioned a fleet of double-decker buses.
303
00:44:30,730 --> 00:44:33,050
and actually the way that the light would sort of interact
304
00:44:33,050 --> 00:44:34,760
bridge to bridge to bridge.
305
00:44:34,760 --> 00:44:37,120
Is that something you were all over from the beginning,
306
00:44:37,120 --> 00:44:39,530
or has this sort of evolved as you've been through it?
307
00:44:39,530 --> 00:44:41,760
We knew that you'd be able to see one to the next
308
00:44:41,760 --> 00:44:44,460
and that they would stack up in an interesting way,
309
00:44:44,460 --> 00:44:46,380
but it is beyond my expectation.
310
00:44:46,380 --> 00:44:48,210
That layering and...
311
00:44:48,210 --> 00:44:50,380
There's also a sense of synchronisation,
312
00:44:50,380 --> 00:44:52,570
so each bridge is sequenced on its own
313
00:44:52,570 --> 00:44:54,920
but then there are these moments when they all align.
314
00:44:54,920 --> 00:44:57,180
Sarah, tell me, how do you feel?
315
00:37:37,740 --> 00:37:40,560
Hi, Eric. How are you? How you doing? Good, thank you.
316
00:36:55,380 --> 00:36:57,640
was a real inspiration for it, wasn't it?
317
00:36:57,640 --> 00:36:59,920
And I've always loved that concept. But it...
318
00:36:59,920 --> 00:37:03,560
When you move the light down it, you really feel it.
319
00:37:03,560 --> 00:37:06,790
It's really dynamic, in a way that it obviously isn't so much
320
00:37:06,790 --> 00:37:09,230
in the day, when you see the whole bridge.
321
00:37:09,230 --> 00:37:12,440
After nearly three years of hard work, planning
322
00:37:12,440 --> 00:37:16,210
and installing the thousands of lights to our bridges,
323
00:37:16,210 --> 00:37:20,650
the creative responsibility now lies on Leo's shoulders.
324
00:37:23,390 --> 00:37:26,310
There is now just one week to perfect the look
325
00:37:26,310 --> 00:37:28,440
of London's great river at night.
326
00:37:30,480 --> 00:37:33,430
It's taken the Illuminated River Project team,
327
00:37:33,430 --> 00:37:36,100
and Leo, years to get to this point.
328
00:36:52,670 --> 00:36:55,380
ls in it Anthony Caro who talked about sort of the bird in flight
329
00:37:40,560 --> 00:37:43,310
In planning and instigating one of the biggest changes
330
00:37:43,310 --> 00:37:45,740
to the bridges since they were constructed...
331
00:37:45,740 --> 00:37:49,430
So it's 15 bridges in Central London. That's really nice.
332
00:37:49,430 --> 00:37:52,150
...they've had to build vital relationships
333
00:37:52,150 --> 00:37:54,870
with international companies...
334
00:37:54,870 --> 00:37:57,200
...while trying to keep all the authorities happy.
335
00:37:58,660 --> 00:38:00,340
Yeah, this is no good, is it?
336
00:38:00,340 --> 00:38:04,150
We're being completely blinded by the lights under London Bridge.
337
00:38:04,150 --> 00:38:05,980
It's not a pleasant experience, actually.
338
00:38:05,980 --> 00:38:07,510
Now I'm under scrutiny here.
339
00:38:10,860 --> 00:38:14,990
And all the time navigating the fragile wildlife issues.
340
00:38:14,990 --> 00:38:16,440
Yeah, she's just down here.
341
00:36:10,570 --> 00:36:13,130
To be able to, like, bring it to life.
342
00:35:36,300 --> 00:35:39,340
I'm heading back to one of London's most famous bridges
343
00:35:39,340 --> 00:35:41,780
to see how Leo is getting on.
344
00:35:41,780 --> 00:35:45,010
Hello, Leo. Hey. How are you? Excellent.
345
00:35:45,010 --> 00:35:49,260
Fancy seeing you here, um... at 10 o'clock on a Monday night.
346
00:35:49,260 --> 00:35:50,370
Well, you know...
347
00:35:51,750 --> 00:35:54,220
You know, after nearly three years of thinking about it
348
00:35:54,220 --> 00:35:56,350
and simulating it and doing all this stuff,
349
00:35:56,350 --> 00:36:00,210
to finally get to sit in front of the bridge, with the actual lights
350
00:36:00,210 --> 00:36:03,370
and to be able to control it, is pretty incredible.
351
00:36:03,370 --> 00:36:06,100
So it's kind of exciting to, you know...
352
00:36:06,100 --> 00:36:08,730
to be able to work with something that, you know...
353
00:36:08,730 --> 00:36:10,570
This stunning bridge, right?
354
00:38:16,440 --> 00:38:19,430
Obviously, we can't work above, below, anywhere near her.
355
00:36:13,130 --> 00:36:16,980
How many hours you think you'll be staring at this before you happy?
356
00:36:16,980 --> 00:36:19,210
As long as I can withstand it, you know?
357
00:36:19,210 --> 00:36:20,900
I'm on a nocturnal schedule
358
00:36:20,900 --> 00:36:24,030
and, you know, I'm just waiting for the sun to go down,
359
00:36:24,030 --> 00:36:26,310
and working as much as I can till it comes up, so...
360
00:36:28,920 --> 00:36:31,130
The lights are now all up and running.
361
00:36:33,120 --> 00:36:38,000
And, as I watch Leo work, there is a surprising animating effect
362
00:36:38,000 --> 00:36:40,720
that the new lights have on the bridge.
363
00:36:42,870 --> 00:36:45,030
I think it's pretty astounding. I really like it.
364
00:36:45,030 --> 00:36:47,640
I think it's beautiful. Really beautiful. This is a good sign!
365
00:36:47,640 --> 00:36:50,480
Yeah, it's a good sign. No, I generally think it's...
366
00:36:50,480 --> 00:36:52,670
I know, cos... Anthony...
367
00:40:18,040 --> 00:40:20,480
Are you excited or nervous?
368
00:39:40,540 --> 00:39:42,370
make our way down to the river,
369
00:39:42,370 --> 00:39:44,140
get on a boat and turn on the lights.
370
00:39:44,140 --> 00:39:45,650
And I'm...
371
00:39:45,650 --> 00:39:48,180
I've been involved in this project for just under two years
372
00:39:48,180 --> 00:39:50,930
and I'm nervous, so I cannot imagine what it's been like
373
00:39:50,930 --> 00:39:54,980
for the team who have been working on it for three, four, five years.
374
00:39:54,980 --> 00:39:57,250
And the thing about a public piece of art
375
00:39:57,250 --> 00:40:00,370
is that you can't hide it if it isn't any good.
376
00:40:00,370 --> 00:40:01,570
It's out there.
377
00:40:09,460 --> 00:40:11,880
After three years of planning for this day,
378
00:40:11,880 --> 00:40:15,370
project director Sarah Gaventa is, not surprisingly,
379
00:40:15,370 --> 00:40:16,750
feeling the pressure.
380
00:39:38,500 --> 00:39:40,540
A couple of hours there and then we're going to
381
00:40:20,480 --> 00:40:21,680
Completely anxious.
382
00:40:21,680 --> 00:40:24,090
I really want it just to be over, to be quite honest.
383
00:40:24,090 --> 00:40:26,810
Have you had a dress rehearsal and how did it go?
384
00:40:26,810 --> 00:40:29,840
Well, we had an undressed rehearsal that didn't go so well.
385
00:40:29,840 --> 00:40:32,370
It's going to be fine. It's going to be fine, Charlie!
386
00:40:38,600 --> 00:40:40,360
Have you seen it on yet?
387
00:40:40,360 --> 00:40:43,800
No. No? No. I've seen sections of it. Yeah?
388
00:40:43,800 --> 00:40:46,930
And they better come on! Yes! They will come on.
389
00:40:48,440 --> 00:40:51,730
For Sarah, work is not quite over.
390
00:40:51,730 --> 00:40:54,680
She needs to get the guests from the reception venue
391
00:40:54,680 --> 00:40:55,890
down to the river
392
00:40:55,890 --> 00:40:58,240
and, to make the one-mile journey,
393
00:38:51,700 --> 00:38:53,210
...and with concerned residents
394
00:38:19,430 --> 00:38:21,920
Just let them go! Let them go! Let them go!
395
00:38:21,920 --> 00:38:25,700
I've discovered some amazing history of our beloved bridges...
396
00:38:25,700 --> 00:38:27,620
It's a model, but it's so evocative.
397
00:38:27,620 --> 00:38:31,000
You can almost sort of smells the life - animals, people...
398
00:38:31,000 --> 00:38:33,210
Wow. Look at this!
399
00:38:33,210 --> 00:38:35,650
How do we move? Push. We push?!
400
00:38:35,650 --> 00:38:37,180
Hey!
401
00:38:37,180 --> 00:38:41,540
...and managed to access some in a way I never knew possible.
402
00:38:41,540 --> 00:38:43,720
Inside London Bridge.
403
00:38:43,720 --> 00:38:45,850
This is going to be attached to that thing.
404
00:38:45,850 --> 00:38:48,420
After a race to get the bridges ready for Leo...
405
00:38:48,420 --> 00:38:51,700
Right by the water. It does get quite close.
406
00:23:50,840 --> 00:23:53,070
Yeah. No pressure!
407
00:38:53,210 --> 00:38:54,900
keeping a close eye on the project...
408
00:38:56,370 --> 00:38:58,720
We're hoping the colour schemes that we saw
409
00:38:58,720 --> 00:39:02,330
maybe won't look as bright as we fear they'll look.
410
00:39:02,330 --> 00:39:06,370
...it's now up to Leo to get it right for the big night.
411
00:39:08,090 --> 00:39:10,440
Coming up next is the launch event.
412
00:39:10,440 --> 00:39:13,930
How it's received by the critics and public alike
413
00:39:13,930 --> 00:39:18,690
will all be revealed at the big switch-on.
414
00:39:18,690 --> 00:39:19,930
This has to work.
415
00:39:27,340 --> 00:39:31,770
On Wednesday evening this week, the moment finally arrived.
416
00:39:31,770 --> 00:39:34,370
It was time for the big switch on.
417
00:39:34,370 --> 00:39:36,450
This is the start of 500 guests
418
00:39:36,450 --> 00:39:38,500
coming for a reception at the Guildhall.
419
00:08:18,000 --> 00:08:21,200
Southwark Bridge will have slowly shifting lights
420
00:07:24,560 --> 00:07:27,080
so I think our plan is to restore that in a way
421
00:07:27,080 --> 00:07:30,680
that is very well engineered and very well designed,
422
00:07:30,680 --> 00:07:33,040
replacing the existing lighting with more energy efficient
423
00:07:33,040 --> 00:07:36,800
and durable LED lighting, but then adding an additional layer
424
00:07:36,800 --> 00:07:40,280
of movement which is what the LED allows.
425
00:07:40,280 --> 00:07:45,860
The Illuminated River Project is an ambitious £45 million scheme
426
00:07:45,860 --> 00:07:49,360
to light 15 of London's most central bridges.
427
00:07:49,360 --> 00:07:54,200
The cutting-edge LED technology will be subtly sequenced to change
428
00:07:54,200 --> 00:07:58,080
in colour and fade in and out to Leo's artistic vision.
429
00:08:03,280 --> 00:08:05,050
In the first phase of the project,
430
00:08:05,050 --> 00:08:08,490
four of London's bridges will be given a new lease of life.
431
00:08:09,840 --> 00:08:13,170
London and Cannon Street bridges are to have lights that reflect
432
00:08:13,170 --> 00:08:18,000
the movement of pedestrians, vehicles and trains.
433
00:07:22,490 --> 00:07:24,560
A lot of it is not functional,
434
00:08:21,200 --> 00:08:24,800
that accentuate the beautiful arched metalwork below.
435
00:08:26,850 --> 00:08:29,760
And the Millennium Bridge will realise the original idea
436
00:08:29,760 --> 00:08:34,320
of becoming a blade of light spanning the Thames.
437
00:08:37,690 --> 00:08:40,640
While the work to get the lights ready for a Leo to programme
438
00:08:40,640 --> 00:08:45,120
presses on, I'm taking a chance to see one of my favourite bridges
439
00:08:45,120 --> 00:08:47,540
like I've never seen it before.
440
00:08:49,790 --> 00:08:51,850
So, I'm very privileged, actually,
441
00:08:51,850 --> 00:08:54,640
because I've been allowed to poke around
442
00:08:54,640 --> 00:08:58,850
and explore inside London Bridge, so currently,
443
00:08:58,850 --> 00:09:04,200
we are inside the downstream arch of the mighty London Bridge,
444
00:09:04,200 --> 00:09:07,970
the one that opened in 1973.
445
00:09:07,970 --> 00:09:09,000
And it has got...
446
00:06:25,710 --> 00:06:30,890
from colliding with whatever or whoever is dangling from the bridge.
447
00:05:32,880 --> 00:05:37,090
he's having to abseil to the problem cable 30 feet above the river.
448
00:05:45,070 --> 00:05:46,320
Are you looking after him?
449
00:05:49,810 --> 00:05:53,160
Sometimes, you just have to get the right man to fix the problem...
450
00:05:54,600 --> 00:05:56,560
...even if you have to drag him there.
451
00:05:57,970 --> 00:06:01,710
But over on Millennium Bridge, work is waiting to begin.
452
00:06:01,710 --> 00:06:04,270
So, this is one of the strangest jobs you have to do
453
00:06:04,270 --> 00:06:06,280
when working on a bridge in Central London.
454
00:06:06,280 --> 00:06:09,440
If you want to dangle over the side of the bridge,
455
00:06:09,440 --> 00:06:11,890
like Steve, Angel and Ian want to do,
456
00:06:11,890 --> 00:06:16,810
you have to hang a bale of straw off the side to the same height
457
00:06:16,810 --> 00:06:22,400
that you're going to work according to bylaw 36.2.
458
00:06:22,400 --> 00:06:25,710
This genuine bylaw is to stop passing riverboats
459
00:09:10,610 --> 00:09:13,080
VOICE ECHOES: "the most fantastic acoustics.
460
00:06:30,890 --> 00:06:34,610
And that makes it OK to hang off the bridge.
461
00:06:36,530 --> 00:06:39,360
Don't say it's not a weird country, because that's quite weird.
462
00:06:40,750 --> 00:06:43,970
The race is now on to get all the work done in readiness
463
00:06:43,970 --> 00:06:47,480
for artist Leo Villareal to start programming the lights.
464
00:06:52,600 --> 00:06:55,760
We are behind in terms of the dates we thought that it would be,
465
00:06:55,760 --> 00:06:57,640
but, you know, which project...?
466
00:06:57,640 --> 00:07:01,240
When you're doing a kitchen, you never get it done on time.
467
00:07:01,240 --> 00:07:05,040
And then Leo arrives in five clays, so this will be his first visit,
468
00:07:05,040 --> 00:07:08,200
the first of the two kind of sequencing visits.
469
00:07:08,200 --> 00:07:12,360
Currently 2,000 miles away in New York with his team of programmers,
470
00:07:12,360 --> 00:07:18,460
Leo's had to do all his work so far on computer-generated models.
471
00:07:18,460 --> 00:07:22,490
A lot of the lighting on the bridges on the Thames is somewhat haphazard.
472
00:11:23,640 --> 00:11:28,060
which is where the railway trains run.
473
00:10:36,240 --> 00:10:40,770
but to my mind, they are far more than just romantic walkways.
474
00:10:40,770 --> 00:10:44,600
For me, the real excitement lies in their design.
475
00:10:48,760 --> 00:10:51,200
Now, if you ask someone to draw a bridge,
476
00:10:51,200 --> 00:10:54,280
they're pretty much always just going to draw an arch
477
00:10:54,280 --> 00:10:56,400
and whilst we all know what an arch bridge is
478
00:10:56,400 --> 00:10:58,840
and it's the kind of thing you've known all your life,
479
00:10:58,840 --> 00:11:03,120
actually there is something quite magical about the way they work,
480
00:11:03,120 --> 00:11:06,850
so I'm going to just use Blackfriars Rail Bridge to try
481
00:11:06,850 --> 00:11:11,640
and explain what I understand about how these wonderful structures work.
482
00:11:11,640 --> 00:11:17,840
So what you've got are a series of large stone piers
483
00:11:17,840 --> 00:11:20,200
set in the river.
484
00:11:20,200 --> 00:11:23,640
And over the top of that, you've got a deck,
485
00:10:32,250 --> 00:10:36,240
Bridges have always held a special place in people's hearts,
486
00:11:28,060 --> 00:11:31,200
But crucially, you've got an arch,
487
00:11:31,200 --> 00:11:37,360
a series of arches spanning over the river.
488
00:11:37,360 --> 00:11:40,350
Now, when you put a load on that bridge,
489
00:11:40,350 --> 00:11:45,330
you've got weight pushing down onto the bridge
490
00:11:45,330 --> 00:11:49,080
and what you need to exert is an equal and opposite force
491
00:11:49,080 --> 00:11:53,080
up through the piers to support that bridge.
492
00:11:53,080 --> 00:11:56,480
Now, the really clever thing that an arch does
493
00:11:56,480 --> 00:11:59,960
is it takes this force and it pushes it sideways.
494
00:11:59,960 --> 00:12:02,350
As the middle of the bridge tries to push down,
495
00:12:02,350 --> 00:12:06,000
it starts to push outwards because it can't go straight down
496
00:12:06,000 --> 00:12:10,270
because of this arch shape and then the curve of the steel
497
00:12:10,270 --> 00:12:14,690
directs that load down into the base of the pier.
498
00:09:51,480 --> 00:09:54,250
Ho-ho-ho! Whoa!
499
00:09:18,800 --> 00:09:20,440
It's quite an extraordinary expefience
500
00:09:20,440 --> 00:09:23,640
as you walk through the arches. You feel a bit like Alice in Wonderland,
501
00:09:23,640 --> 00:09:27,390
as the spaces get smaller and grow as you move through these bulkheads.
502
00:09:27,390 --> 00:09:30,080
And the other thing that I love is that you can see
503
00:09:30,080 --> 00:09:32,470
the imprint of all of the grain
504
00:09:32,470 --> 00:09:36,280
that was used to make the timber formwork back in the day
505
00:09:36,280 --> 00:09:39,830
and some of the nails that were used to build up the timber framework
506
00:09:39,830 --> 00:09:41,280
to fill it with concrete.
507
00:09:41,280 --> 00:09:43,870
The bridge was designed with these voids
508
00:09:43,870 --> 00:09:46,320
which allow for repairs and maintenance.
509
00:09:46,320 --> 00:09:49,560
It's a concrete labyrinth where you're not quite sure
510
00:09:49,560 --> 00:09:51,480
what lies around the next corner.
511
00:05:30,240 --> 00:05:32,880
More used to having his feet firmly on the ground,
512
00:09:54,250 --> 00:09:55,320
That's fantastic.
513
00:09:57,400 --> 00:10:01,400
So I've now come up between the two main structural elements.
514
00:10:01,400 --> 00:10:02,710
The Thames below us.
515
00:10:02,710 --> 00:10:05,270
I mean, it's a really secret,
516
00:10:05,270 --> 00:10:08,840
hidden space that I imagine very few people know about.
517
00:10:11,670 --> 00:10:13,400
The other thing that you really realise
518
00:10:13,400 --> 00:10:17,400
when you get up close to a structure like this is the scale of it.
519
00:10:17,400 --> 00:10:19,630
I mean, everything about it is vast
520
00:10:19,630 --> 00:10:21,840
and it's very easy to lose sight of that
521
00:10:21,840 --> 00:10:25,120
when you see it in the context of the city.
522
00:10:25,120 --> 00:10:27,240
But when you're down here,
523
00:10:27,240 --> 00:10:32,250
you can't help being impressed by its heroic scale.
524
00:02:23,360 --> 00:02:27,390
They are an incredible showcase of the very best of British design
525
00:01:35,440 --> 00:01:37,670
Seal, look. There. Oh, my God.
526
00:01:37,670 --> 00:01:41,190
...protecting the fragile ecosystem will be paramount.
527
00:01:41,190 --> 00:01:45,240
Fish don't like light. Right, so this is really not good.
528
00:01:45,240 --> 00:01:48,510
And with the big switch on happening this week...
529
00:01:48,510 --> 00:01:51,520
Well, we had an undressed rehearsal that didn't go so well.
530
00:01:51,520 --> 00:01:53,390
It's going to be fine, Charlie.
531
00:01:53,390 --> 00:01:57,120
...can the artist behind the project pull off the feat of turning
532
00:01:57,120 --> 00:02:00,260
the Thames into a river of light?
533
00:02:02,390 --> 00:02:05,590
Three, two, one...
534
00:02:05,590 --> 00:02:07,180
CHEERING
535
00:02:17,550 --> 00:02:19,680
I'm Charlie Luxton, and like most people,
536
00:02:19,680 --> 00:02:23,360
I love the bridges that span the mighty Thames.
537
00:01:30,670 --> 00:01:33,950
And with the Thames home to an array of endangered species...
538
00:02:27,390 --> 00:02:31,310
and engineering for the past 150 years.
539
00:02:31,310 --> 00:02:33,950
So when it was announced that they were going to be subject
540
00:02:33,950 --> 00:02:36,430
to one of their biggest makeovers since they were built,
541
00:02:36,430 --> 00:02:37,870
well, unsurprisingly,
542
00:02:37,870 --> 00:02:42,010
the whole concept has been under an enormous amount of public scrutiny.
543
00:02:44,910 --> 00:02:48,110
Last week, the team had a visit from the city planners,
544
00:02:48,110 --> 00:02:52,650
the people with the power to decide if the project can proceed.
545
00:02:52,650 --> 00:02:55,470
At the moment, we're only lighting the deck from this side,
546
00:02:55,470 --> 00:02:57,910
so the level is higher.
547
00:02:57,910 --> 00:03:00,670
And they got their first look at the lights to make sure
548
00:03:00,670 --> 00:03:02,390
they don't dazzle passers-by.
549
00:03:03,830 --> 00:03:05,680
Why do they seem brighter at this end?
550
00:00:55,040 --> 00:00:57,240
of this extraordinary project...
551
00:00:06,000 --> 00:00:10,110
For 2,000 years, it has been the lifeblood of London,
552
00:00:10,110 --> 00:00:13,070
nurturing the city that has grown along its banks.
553
00:00:14,460 --> 00:00:17,910
And today, it is still very much a working river
554
00:00:17,910 --> 00:00:23,310
with tens of millions of journeys over and along it every year.
555
00:00:23,310 --> 00:00:27,030
But it's about to undergo a change like never before.
556
00:00:27,030 --> 00:00:30,820
There is a plan for an audacious engineering project
557
00:00:30,820 --> 00:00:34,160
the likes of which this city has never seen,
558
00:00:34,160 --> 00:00:38,310
which promises to transform London's skyline for good.
559
00:00:38,310 --> 00:00:41,670
The plan - to light the River Thames.
560
00:00:43,470 --> 00:00:48,670
15 iconic bridges with a combined span of 2.5 miles
561
00:00:48,670 --> 00:00:51,100
spread over five miles of river.
562
00:00:52,470 --> 00:00:55,040
In this series, I will follow the ins and outs
563
00:03:05,680 --> 00:03:07,720
I was going to say, this end... Well, because of the angle.
564
00:00:57,240 --> 00:00:58,880
Charlie, tell me when you've got hands on.
565
00:00:58,880 --> 00:01:00,950
...and see exactly what it takes
566
00:01:00,950 --> 00:01:04,750
to get something this ambitious off the ground.
567
00:01:04,750 --> 00:01:06,230
This has to work.
568
00:01:07,390 --> 00:01:10,030
If you were to close the bridge, its £2 million for 20 minutes.
569
00:01:10,030 --> 00:01:11,590
What?! £2 million for 20 minutes.
570
00:01:11,590 --> 00:01:14,870
A project on this scale will be pitted with challenges,
571
00:01:14,870 --> 00:01:16,710
from public scepticism...
572
00:01:22,310 --> 00:01:24,950
...to unforeseen delays.
573
00:01:24,950 --> 00:01:26,470
I don't care if somebody else's project
574
00:01:26,470 --> 00:01:28,190
in another part of the world has to wait a bit.
575
00:01:28,190 --> 00:01:30,670
You know, how will they prioritise us?
576
00:04:49,080 --> 00:04:52,550
But like any construction project on this scale,
577
00:04:22,750 --> 00:04:26,120
Right, just got a small loop now.
578
00:04:26,120 --> 00:04:28,320
Are you still enjoying it? Yeah. Yeah?
579
00:04:28,320 --> 00:04:29,910
Yeah. You look a little tired.
580
00:04:29,910 --> 00:04:31,830
It's the first time I've seen you looking tired.
581
00:04:31,830 --> 00:04:32,910
Yeah, it's been a long week,
582
00:04:32,910 --> 00:04:36,190
but we've got a lot of details sorted out this week,
583
00:04:36,190 --> 00:04:37,840
so, you know, from here on in,
584
00:04:37,840 --> 00:04:41,680
there shouldn't be that many issues that we come across.
585
00:04:41,680 --> 00:04:43,120
There, I said it.
586
00:04:43,120 --> 00:04:44,480
You did, didn't you?
587
00:04:44,480 --> 00:04:45,530
You'd better touch wood!
588
00:04:46,840 --> 00:04:49,080
Well, I look forward to seeing it move forward.
589
00:04:21,520 --> 00:04:22,750
Slowly.
590
00:04:52,550 --> 00:04:55,160
issues are always around the corner.
591
00:04:55,160 --> 00:04:57,810
The lights are almost all fitted and powered,
592
00:04:57,810 --> 00:05:01,840
but the data cables which allow the computers to control the lights
593
00:05:01,840 --> 00:05:04,760
need to be hooked up and working, too.
594
00:05:04,760 --> 00:05:05,670
But they aren't.
595
00:05:07,550 --> 00:05:10,320
One little snag that we're dealing with at the moment is
596
00:05:10,320 --> 00:05:13,120
we're just having a bit of an issue with the data cable
597
00:05:13,120 --> 00:05:16,110
running along the upstream light fittings.
598
00:05:16,110 --> 00:05:18,680
We've got a bit of a break in the data cable somewhere,
599
00:05:18,680 --> 00:05:20,990
so we're just running checks through at the moment.
600
00:05:24,690 --> 00:05:28,120
The only man on site able to fix the fibre-optic cable
601
00:05:28,120 --> 00:05:30,240
is electrical engineer Barry.
602
00:03:42,480 --> 00:03:44,520
the brightness on London Bridge -
603
00:03:07,720 --> 00:03:11,440
Each of the four bridges had one arch lit for inspection.
604
00:03:11,440 --> 00:03:12,960
That's not good, is it?
605
00:03:12,960 --> 00:03:15,530
But the test highlighted a serious issue.
606
00:03:15,530 --> 00:03:19,630
We're being completely blinded by the lights under London Bridge.
607
00:03:19,630 --> 00:03:22,600
It's not a pleasant experience, actually.
608
00:03:22,600 --> 00:03:26,720
And the project needs the city planners' approval to continue.
609
00:03:26,720 --> 00:03:28,070
So, erm...
610
00:03:28,070 --> 00:03:28,990
How have we done?
611
00:03:32,000 --> 00:03:34,670
At the Illuminated River Foundation's office,
612
00:03:34,670 --> 00:03:36,530
project director Sarah Gaventa
613
00:03:36,530 --> 00:03:39,910
has received some feedback from the inspection.
614
00:03:39,910 --> 00:03:42,480
We've just had some kind of e-mailed comments saying that
615
00:12:14,690 --> 00:12:18,160
Now, obviously, at the base of the bridge, you get horizontal thrust,
616
00:03:44,520 --> 00:03:47,360
which none of us were comfortable with, it was far too bright
617
00:03:47,360 --> 00:03:50,590
for any pedestrian walking underneath the bridge -
618
00:03:50,590 --> 00:03:53,170
there were a few little tiny things that we need to tweak,
619
00:03:53,170 --> 00:03:56,800
a few fittings that aren't quite working the way we hoped.
620
00:03:56,800 --> 00:03:58,830
The city planners gave us eight out of ten,
621
00:03:58,830 --> 00:04:02,400
which I'm kind of happy with, but it means that we can carry on
622
00:04:02,400 --> 00:04:04,800
and complete the rest of the bridges.
623
00:04:04,800 --> 00:04:07,350
The news couldn't come at a better time.
624
00:04:07,350 --> 00:04:11,270
The big switch on is in just six weeks.
625
00:04:11,270 --> 00:04:14,730
But before that, there's a race to get the bridges up and running
626
00:04:14,730 --> 00:04:18,370
ready for Leo the lighting artist to take control
627
00:04:18,370 --> 00:04:21,520
and he is due in from America any day.
628
00:20:09,530 --> 00:20:12,250
for certain parts of it to be replaced as well.
629
00:19:32,980 --> 00:19:36,000
that we would be hosting the Olympic rings,
630
00:19:36,000 --> 00:19:39,320
but in addition to that, we got a fantastic lighting system.
631
00:19:39,320 --> 00:19:41,890
But even though there was lots of talk then about the legacy
632
00:19:41,890 --> 00:19:44,070
of the system and it would last for 25 years,
633
00:19:44,070 --> 00:19:47,160
it's not been as robust as we would have liked,
634
00:19:47,160 --> 00:19:49,530
and here we are now a number of years later
635
00:19:49,530 --> 00:19:52,320
and there are regularly parts of the system that fail.
636
00:19:52,320 --> 00:19:55,530
There are always... With the nature of LED lighting,
637
00:19:55,530 --> 00:19:57,710
because they come in strips rather than single lights,
638
00:19:57,710 --> 00:20:00,000
if one goes out, you'll notice 20 gone.
639
00:20:00,000 --> 00:20:03,810
And then to replace those, to do works on that, is quite complicated.
640
00:20:03,810 --> 00:20:06,810
We need road closures for certain elements to be replaced,
641
00:20:06,810 --> 00:20:09,530
sometimes river closures and span closures on the bridge
642
00:19:30,320 --> 00:19:32,980
And then just before the Olympics, we got some fantastic news
643
00:20:12,250 --> 00:20:14,720
So what's to say the new lighting won't fail
644
00:20:14,720 --> 00:20:18,430
and fall into disrepair like the current lights on Tower Bridge?
645
00:20:18,430 --> 00:20:20,960
Well, as part of the strict planning permission,
646
00:20:20,960 --> 00:20:24,070
the project has had to guarantee that they will repair
647
00:20:24,070 --> 00:20:27,960
and maintain all their new lights for at least ten years.
648
00:20:27,960 --> 00:20:31,990
Broken and missing lights should become a thing of the past.
649
00:20:31,990 --> 00:20:37,000
Right. I have made my way right up to the very top
650
00:20:37,000 --> 00:20:40,610
of the North Tower of Tower Bridge.
651
00:20:40,610 --> 00:20:43,600
Very few people get to come up here, which is a shame,
652
00:20:43,600 --> 00:20:46,040
because that is an incredible view.
653
00:20:48,160 --> 00:20:50,420
I'm going to be honest with you for a second,
654
00:20:50,420 --> 00:20:54,240
because I used to be slightly dismissive of Tower Bridge.
655
00:18:38,810 --> 00:18:42,480
but was the biggest bascule bridge in the world.
656
00:17:52,830 --> 00:17:56,950
The entire roof of this space hinges down.
657
00:17:56,950 --> 00:17:59,800
The whole thing hinges down
658
00:17:59,800 --> 00:18:02,080
as the bridge opens.
659
00:18:02,080 --> 00:18:05,340
So that is the underside of the deck of the bridge.
660
00:18:05,340 --> 00:18:10,320
And you can actually hear the rumble of traffic as it runs over the top.
661
00:18:11,700 --> 00:18:14,520
And what's quite amazing is that at high tide,
662
00:18:14,520 --> 00:18:18,510
the level of the Thames would be up well over my head,
663
00:18:18,510 --> 00:18:21,160
yet this is pretty dry.
664
00:18:21,160 --> 00:18:24,990
It's just engineering on a wonderfully grand scale.
665
00:18:27,560 --> 00:18:28,760
Fantastic.
666
00:18:30,600 --> 00:18:34,630
When originally built, it was steam power that lifted the road.
667
00:18:36,710 --> 00:18:38,810
The bridge wasn't the first to do this,
668
00:20:54,240 --> 00:20:58,350
I sort of thought it was a bit of Victorian flimflam.
669
00:18:49,990 --> 00:18:52,950
From visitors to internet streaming cameras,
670
00:18:52,950 --> 00:18:57,260
the world's eyes are on this bridge 24/7.
671
00:18:57,260 --> 00:18:59,440
Manager Chris Earlie knows all too well
672
00:18:59,440 --> 00:19:01,990
the difficulties the project may face
673
00:19:01,990 --> 00:19:05,910
when trying to light one of the world's most famous bridges.
674
00:19:12,070 --> 00:19:15,440
A lot of existing lighting on the bridge itself at the moment,
675
00:19:15,440 --> 00:19:17,450
isn't there? The history of that -
676
00:19:17,450 --> 00:19:20,440
it's a relatively recent installation, isn't it?
677
00:19:20,440 --> 00:19:22,880
The majority of the artistic lighting. Yeah.
678
00:19:22,880 --> 00:19:25,590
Prior to 2012, the bridge was lit with floodlights,
679
00:19:25,590 --> 00:19:27,510
so it was a very basic lighting scheme.
680
00:19:27,510 --> 00:19:30,320
It was to pick out the architectural features of the bridge.
681
00:23:08,360 --> 00:23:10,930
It's quite satisfying, that!
682
00:22:25,010 --> 00:22:28,210
We're not allowed to touch anything, we can't modify anything,
683
00:22:28,210 --> 00:22:31,750
as you would imagine. Just a little bit, may be! Well, no.
684
00:22:31,750 --> 00:22:34,750
No, we've behaved ourselves, despite wanting to on a few occasions.
685
00:22:34,750 --> 00:22:37,760
That's good. Carry on. Absolutely. Better get on with it.
686
00:22:37,760 --> 00:22:39,710
I think you need to come and help us finish off. Yes.
687
00:22:43,110 --> 00:22:45,710
Here comes another tube. Here comes another tube. Right.
688
00:22:49,440 --> 00:22:52,560
The whole of the other side has been done and the whole of this side
689
00:22:52,560 --> 00:22:56,520
has been done - there's literally just these last few units to go in.
690
00:22:56,520 --> 00:22:58,270
I got it, there we go.
691
00:23:00,350 --> 00:23:02,440
It's very satisfying to know
692
00:23:02,440 --> 00:23:05,080
for ever more when I walk up this side,
693
00:23:05,080 --> 00:23:08,360
this little light here, I put in place, I fitted it!
694
00:22:22,730 --> 00:22:25,010
hasn't been a big... Unfortunately, no.
695
00:23:10,930 --> 00:23:15,200
And dangling below, the last junction box has been placed.
696
00:23:16,640 --> 00:23:18,400
Well done, mate. Well done.
697
00:23:20,770 --> 00:23:24,000
Hopefully we won't come back to this one, because it'll work first time.
698
00:23:24,000 --> 00:23:27,350
And the team can celebrate hitting their deadline.
699
00:23:27,350 --> 00:23:29,630
Sort of get yourselves in between these two lamp posts.
700
00:23:29,630 --> 00:23:31,350
Can we have some bums on the wall?
701
00:23:32,960 --> 00:23:34,350
When it's all lit up properly,
702
00:23:34,350 --> 00:23:37,120
it's going to be quite a sense of achievement by everyone.
703
00:23:37,120 --> 00:23:41,530
Probably one of the most iconic jobs I'll ever be involved in.
704
00:23:41,530 --> 00:23:44,280
OK, so everybody looking at me, please.
705
00:23:44,280 --> 00:23:48,080
I've heard there's like 200 million people going to see these lights.
706
00:23:48,080 --> 00:23:50,840
We better make sure it's wired up correctly, then.
707
00:21:38,000 --> 00:21:42,320
The team of 180 men and women are on one final push
708
00:20:58,350 --> 00:21:01,880
But now I've had a chance to really look around,
709
00:21:01,880 --> 00:21:03,760
and I'm blown away by it.
710
00:21:03,760 --> 00:21:08,690
It is the most incredible feat of 19th-century engineering.
711
00:21:08,690 --> 00:21:11,720
But there is no denying the role that this bridge plays
712
00:21:11,720 --> 00:21:15,530
in the global consciousness. Everybody knows it.
713
00:21:15,530 --> 00:21:20,600
And therefore lighting it in a way that is beautiful, respectful,
714
00:21:20,600 --> 00:21:23,150
and crucially, lasts - well, that?
715
00:21:23,150 --> 00:21:24,720
That is a challenge.
716
00:21:26,140 --> 00:21:27,600
It's almost three years
717
00:21:27,600 --> 00:21:30,360
since work to light the Thames started in earnest,
718
00:21:30,360 --> 00:21:32,430
and now the Illuminated River team
719
00:21:32,430 --> 00:21:34,880
are closing in on their first big deadline.
720
00:17:49,870 --> 00:17:52,830
hinge like that, and this is the curve.
721
00:21:42,320 --> 00:21:45,640
to get the last of 8km of cables added
722
00:21:45,640 --> 00:21:50,250
and the final set of the 69,000 light nodes installed,
723
00:21:50,250 --> 00:21:55,520
a task that has taken over 9,000 work clays to complete.
724
00:21:55,520 --> 00:21:58,790
When done, artist Leo can start the four-week job
725
00:21:58,790 --> 00:22:03,080
of programming the lights to get them ready for the big switch-on.
726
00:22:04,480 --> 00:22:06,080
But there is one bridge
727
00:22:06,080 --> 00:22:08,520
that is proving far more tricky than the rest.
728
00:22:08,520 --> 00:22:10,880
We all assumed that millennium Bridge was going to be
729
00:22:10,880 --> 00:22:12,670
probably one of the easiest.
730
00:22:12,670 --> 00:22:15,560
Unfortunately, that hasn't always been the case.
731
00:22:15,560 --> 00:22:19,750
She's thrown a series of challenges at us from day one.
732
00:22:19,750 --> 00:22:22,730
Nothing superfluous on this bridge. So the angle grinder
733
00:14:06,690 --> 00:14:10,360
Leo, Sarah and the team have to hope
734
00:13:39,120 --> 00:13:40,880
London is a glitzy, major city.
735
00:13:40,880 --> 00:13:43,050
I think that's a lot of what people come to London for.
736
00:13:43,050 --> 00:13:45,410
It's a place to work but it's also a place to visit and enjoy
737
00:13:45,410 --> 00:13:47,720
and I think the lights are part of that investment.
738
00:13:47,720 --> 00:13:52,170
What if I told you it was costing over £40 million to do?
739
00:13:52,170 --> 00:13:54,160
Well, that seems ridiculous.
740
00:13:54,160 --> 00:13:56,370
Can't really comment on the relative costs.
741
00:13:56,370 --> 00:13:57,720
The figures are astronomical,
742
00:13:57,720 --> 00:14:00,000
But it's something to look at and something that feels nice
743
00:14:00,000 --> 00:14:02,210
in an exciting city, and it's probably a good idea, yes.
744
00:14:02,210 --> 00:14:03,890
Now with four weeks to go
745
00:14:03,890 --> 00:14:06,690
and publicity for the project gaining momentum,
746
00:13:35,160 --> 00:13:39,120
and you don't really need to illuminate it any more at all.
747
00:14:10,360 --> 00:14:12,690
that when they finally switch the lights on,
748
00:14:12,690 --> 00:14:17,360
the public will not only like what they see but think it's worth it.
749
00:14:17,360 --> 00:14:19,880
If I was to tell you it cost in excess of £40 million?
750
00:14:19,880 --> 00:14:20,920
Quite.
751
00:14:20,920 --> 00:14:22,570
I'd rather have the Garden Bridge.
752
00:14:26,460 --> 00:14:29,000
In just five clays' time, Leo Villareal
753
00:14:29,000 --> 00:14:31,820
will be arriving in the UK to start programming
754
00:14:31,820 --> 00:14:35,230
the 69,000 light nodes
755
00:14:35,230 --> 00:14:39,790
that will transform four of London's greatest bridges.
756
00:14:39,790 --> 00:14:43,800
It will be a seminal moment in this epic project
757
00:14:43,800 --> 00:14:48,510
which, when finished, will give night-time London a brand-new look.
758
00:14:50,870 --> 00:14:54,350
With less than a week to go until the American artist
759
00:12:49,410 --> 00:12:53,550
It's kind of like a clever sort of judo move of bringing the force
760
00:12:18,160 --> 00:12:22,640
but you've got other arches pushing back to balance that.
761
00:12:22,640 --> 00:12:25,870
Now, crucially, and the way that bridges like this
762
00:12:25,870 --> 00:12:27,230
have worked for ever
763
00:12:27,230 --> 00:12:30,330
is that everything is in compression.
764
00:12:30,330 --> 00:12:33,230
The weight is here, it's pushing down into compression
765
00:12:33,230 --> 00:12:36,630
which is pushing down the arch into the base of the pier
766
00:12:36,630 --> 00:12:39,870
which is in compression down onto the base of the river,
767
00:12:39,870 --> 00:12:41,800
into the bed of the river.
768
00:12:41,800 --> 00:12:44,490
Because old materials couldn't take tension -
769
00:12:44,490 --> 00:12:46,200
that is why the arch bridge has worked
770
00:12:46,200 --> 00:12:47,870
for so many thousands of years.
771
00:12:47,870 --> 00:12:49,410
It's all in compression.
772
00:14:54,350 --> 00:14:58,550
touches down, work is flat out to get all the data cables installed
773
00:12:53,550 --> 00:12:57,160
of the weight on the bridge down and across and into the ground.
774
00:12:57,160 --> 00:13:01,410
There's something magic about this simple, efficient form.
775
00:13:04,400 --> 00:13:06,680
The Illuminated River Project know
776
00:13:06,680 --> 00:13:09,590
that if they're going to transform the capital's bridges,
777
00:13:09,590 --> 00:13:12,360
they're going to have to win the hearts and minds
778
00:13:12,360 --> 00:13:14,440
of the general public who use them.
779
00:13:16,560 --> 00:13:18,840
Now, it may be privately funded,
780
00:13:18,840 --> 00:13:21,040
but people still need to feel
781
00:13:21,040 --> 00:13:25,230
that it's worth the £45 million price tag,
782
00:13:25,230 --> 00:13:28,160
money that arguably could be spent elsewhere.
783
00:13:29,600 --> 00:13:31,770
Well, my first thought was
784
00:13:31,770 --> 00:13:35,160
that there's quite enough light in London at night
785
00:17:11,520 --> 00:17:13,960
And who could forget David Beckham's joy
786
00:16:33,620 --> 00:16:36,640
and not just the flourishes and details.
787
00:16:36,640 --> 00:16:39,900
Its very shape, with the walkway and the two towers,
788
00:16:39,900 --> 00:16:42,260
it is something like a giant stage set.
789
00:16:42,260 --> 00:16:44,630
And over the past 100 years,
790
00:16:44,630 --> 00:16:47,440
it has been used as exactly that
791
00:16:47,440 --> 00:16:50,710
by a whole host of daredevils and performers.
792
00:16:50,710 --> 00:16:53,230
From early parachute test jumps...
793
00:16:54,710 --> 00:16:56,600
...motorbike flips...
794
00:16:59,990 --> 00:17:02,630
...to height-defying pop stars...
795
00:17:02,630 --> 00:17:05,230
...and Hollywood movies...
796
00:17:06,430 --> 00:17:08,240
...the stars have been lining up
797
00:17:08,240 --> 00:17:11,520
to perform with the iconic Tower Bridge backdrop.
798
00:16:29,670 --> 00:16:33,620
There's something incredibly theatrical about this bridge,
799
00:17:13,960 --> 00:17:17,240
as he kick-started the London Olympics?
800
00:17:17,240 --> 00:17:21,630
But for me, what goes on inside the bridge is just as exciting.
801
00:17:21,630 --> 00:17:23,520
Wow.
802
00:17:23,520 --> 00:17:25,270
Look at this.
803
00:17:25,270 --> 00:17:27,630
What an incredible...
804
00:17:27,630 --> 00:17:29,160
What an incredible space.
805
00:17:29,160 --> 00:17:32,320
Now, this is one of the bascule chambers
806
00:17:32,320 --> 00:17:38,040
that sit right at the base of the two main towers of Tower Bridge.
807
00:17:38,040 --> 00:17:41,800
Bascule is a funny word. It sort of roughly translates as seesaw,
808
00:17:41,800 --> 00:17:43,240
from the French.
809
00:17:43,240 --> 00:17:45,880
And you can actually understand how the bridge works.
810
00:17:45,880 --> 00:17:49,870
It hinges from that point, and these giant sort of metal planks
811
00:15:45,080 --> 00:15:46,620
were submitted.
812
00:14:58,550 --> 00:15:01,080
and the bridges back to normal.
813
00:15:07,440 --> 00:15:12,150
Last year, over 19 million tourists came to London.
814
00:15:12,150 --> 00:15:14,000
And for many of those visitors,
815
00:15:14,000 --> 00:15:17,070
a trip down the Thames was high on their to-do list.
816
00:15:17,070 --> 00:15:22,510
And what better way to get a look at the most famous bridge of the lot,
817
00:15:22,510 --> 00:15:26,630
and arguably the most iconic symbol of London?
818
00:15:26,630 --> 00:15:29,880
In 1876, the City of London Corporation
819
00:15:29,880 --> 00:15:32,000
held a competition for the design
820
00:15:32,000 --> 00:15:34,360
of a much-needed new river crossing
821
00:15:34,360 --> 00:15:37,260
downstream of London Bridge.
822
00:15:37,260 --> 00:15:40,190
The Victorians didn't do things by halves,
823
00:15:40,190 --> 00:15:45,080
and over 50 ambitious and sometimes outrageous designs
824
00:00:02,390 --> 00:00:06,000
The River Thames is one of the world's great waterways.
825
00:15:46,620 --> 00:15:49,630
But the design that won was this one.
826
00:15:49,630 --> 00:15:52,360
And it has since become one of the most iconic
827
00:15:52,360 --> 00:15:54,710
and recognisable bridges anywhere in the world.
828
00:15:54,710 --> 00:15:57,710
Costing just over a million pounds -
829
00:15:57,710 --> 00:16:01,790
that's roughly £132 million in today's money -
830
00:16:01,790 --> 00:16:04,870
the bridge took eight years to build,
831
00:16:04,870 --> 00:16:07,790
but became an instant London landmark.
832
00:16:07,790 --> 00:16:11,790
The Illuminated River project is intending to leave Tower Bridge
833
00:16:11,790 --> 00:16:14,600
until last, and for good reason.
834
00:16:14,600 --> 00:16:17,110
They want to bring all their experience
835
00:16:17,110 --> 00:16:19,390
from lighting all the other bridges
836
00:16:19,390 --> 00:16:22,390
before they approach the most symbolic of them all.
70227
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get subtitles in any language from opensubtitles.com, and translate them here.