London Festival of Architecture - "Vancouverism" Cedar Sculpture

Canada House, Trafalgar Square, London, UK · Completed 2008

Close view through the interlocking cedar sculpture at the London Festival of Architecture

Project facts

Architect: Bing Thom Architects
General Contractor: Canadian Embassy
Location: Canada House, Trafalgar Square, London, UK
Status: Completed 2008
Our involvement: Engineer-Build

Overview

“We were inspired by the interwoven twigs of birds' nest - a form that supports and steadies itself". It was with this inspiration that Canadian architect Bing Thom and engineer Gerald Epp joined forces to showcase a new and unexpected design innovation using wood from British Columbia during London's Festival of Architecture 2008.

The horizontal 'snakes' were made from red cedar blocks pre-stressed together with 1/4" ropes of aramid fibre like beads on a necklace. The resulting sculpture wove its way in and around the pillars of Canada House at Trafalgar Square, forming an eye-catching high timber wall. Stability in all directions was created by stacking 'snakes' on top of each other, each only fastened to the one beneath.