Canary Wharf's Winter Lights

Multi-coloured butterflies flit across the grass at Canary Wharf - one of a series of 18 art installations that are bringing a glow to winter evenings in east London. On the Wings of Freedom is the work of Aether and Hemera who say the butterflies are symbols of change, creativity and joy. Viewers can interact with them by using mobile phones to change the lighting effects.

Nearby is The Pool, by Jen Lewin Studio. These giant rings are touch-sensitive, and turn the area into a huge playground where patterns of swirling and fading colours are created by shifting your weight or moving from one to another.

Also great fun is Aura (2014) by Philips Lighting Design, which reacts with sound and light to a hand placed in front of a globe.

Westferry Gardens is dominated by an 18ft high alien by Amanda Parer, inspired by the science- fiction film Fantastic Planet. Although it's tethered to the ground, gusts of wind make it move up and down in a very lifelike way.

In the Jubilee Park there's a moving reminder of the plight of the many Syrian refugees fleeing from conflict: My light is your light, by Alaa Minawi. It's described as a tribute to all refugees who yearn for their stories to be heard.

The Winter Lights Festival is free and runs until Jan 22, 2016. The installations are best seen between 4 and 9pm. There's a brochure with locations and descriptions at

http://canarywharf.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/canary-wharf-arts-events-winter-lights-2016-brochure.pdf

A rooftop Garden at Canary Wharf's Crossrail station

If you find yourself near Canary Wharf in London's Docklands, don't miss the new public garden that's just opened above the Crossrail station development there.


 





The railway line won’t be up and running until 2018, but the station's first stage – Crossrail Place – is welcoming visitors. There are plenty of shops and restaurants, but it's the roof garden that's got people talking. Under a transparent canopy are hundreds of plants that draw on the area’s heritage as a nineteenth-century trading hub. Many are native to countries visited by ships of the West India Dock Company, which unloaded their wares where the station now sits.  They were transported in Wardian cases - mini glasshouses that protected them - and these inspired the design of the transparent roof.

The development sits almost exactly on the Meridian line and the garden designers Gillespies (who also landscaped the Skygarden on top of the Walkie Talkie at 20 Fenchurch St) took this as their inspiration, dividing the area into two geographic zones. Plants from the Western hemisphere such as ferns (left) and Sweet Gum are on that side of the Meridian line, with Asian plants such as bamboos, magnolias and maples on the other.




 




 The central area of the garden is open to the sky, allowing in fresh air and pollinating insects. (A bumblebee was busy among the flowers while we were there.)  Paths wind through the planting, and there are benches where you can relax and enjoy the panorama. Descriptive plaques give details about the history of the area and the planting.

 

One surprising feature is a vegetable garden, tucked away in a corner. Newly-planted tomatoes, beans and peppers seemed to be thriving.









The development itself is designed by Foster and Partners, and (below) makes a bold  and exciting visual statement in what for many years was a wasteland. Admission to the roof garden is free, and unlike the Skygarden, you visit without booking in advance.

 

Once complete the 85-mile Crossrail line will stretch from Shenfield in Essex to Heathrow and Reading. Until then an easy way to reach Crossrail Place is the short walk north from the Jubilee line's Canary Wharf station. 

A bird's-eye view of the Thames

A big thumbs up for London’s first cable car service across the Thames, which has now opened for passengers. On its first day I joined several hundred people queuing in warm, sunny weather for the half-mile journey over the river, and was rewarded with (below) stunning views of the O2 arena, the Canary Wharf financial district, and the Olympic Park.  

Even the Thames barrier, which protects the capital from flooding, was clearly visible.

The Emirates Air Line, as it’s officially known, runs between terminals at North Greenwich (left) and the ExCel exhibition centre at the Royal Docks, both of which are hosting Olympic events.

Each of the 34 cars can hold 10 people, and accommodates wheelchairs and baby buggies. They run continuously, slowing right down at the terminals to allow passengers to board and alight, then swinging up and out over the river to reach a height of almost 300 ft. The operators, Transport for London, say up to 2,500 people an hour can be carried in each direction.


Emirates has invested £36 million in the project as part of a 10-year sponsorship deal. This stretch of Thames is currently served by road tunnels, but no bridges, so the cable car is a useful link. London mayor Boris Johnson says the service is a tourist attraction but also a valuable addition to the capital's public transport infrastructure.

How heavy the demand will be for the journey after the Olympics remains to be seen. Fares start at £3.20 for a single fare using an Oyster travel card/Freedom pass or £4.30 without, and there is a ‘frequent flyer’ pass allowing 10 single journeys for £16. There were a few teething troubles with ticket-buying immediately after the opening, though these were hopefully short-lived. The journey takes between 5 and 10 minutes  (quickest at rushhour and slower from mid-morning to mid-afternoon.)  Some passengers have queried the cost, saying it’s too expensive for regular commuters. But there’s no doubt that everyone on the first day, young and old, was thrilled with the stunning views of London and the river that flows through its heart.

More details at http://www.tfl.gov.uk/modalpages/23828.aspx