Is a £46m glass tiara the right way to remember the UK’s late queen? The Elizabeth II memorial selection committee seems to think so, choosing a glitzy glass bridge designed by Norman Foster for her permanent memorial in St James’s Park.
Norman Foster, a renowned architect and a national treasure, was selected for this project, possibly due to his personal connection with the queen. His design aims to combine the formal and informal, inspired by the queen's dual nature and the landscape design of St James’s Park by John Nash in the 1820s.
The design concept revolves around the queen’s wedding tiara, proposing a bridge with a cast glass balustrade that shimmers above the lake. Foster describes it as a symbol of the queen’s role as a unifying force. However, the project has sparked debate over its practicality and ecological impact.
Critics argue that the bridge, with its Swarovski-like sparkle, may be difficult to maintain and question the ecological cost of using cast glass, one of the most carbon-intensive materials. The project also involves demolishing the existing Blue Bridge, designed by Eric Bedford in 1957, raising concerns about wastefulness in an era focused on sustainability.
The debate highlights the tension between creating a fitting memorial and the environmental and practical considerations of such a grandiose project.
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