Tony Chambers on Crossrail's futuristic new stations

Wallpaper* editor-in-chief, Tony Chambers, is eager for the arrival of Crossrail’s stunning futuristic stations and the Four Seasons’ new City outpost
Artist rendering of Canary Wharf station
Tony Chambers27 January 2017

The construction of Crossrail — Europe’s largest infrastructure scheme — has caused much disruption and frustration to London’s commuters. But with less than two years until opening day, we’re seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. Once completed, Crossrail will ferry up to 200 million passengers a year, from Reading in the west to Abbey Wood and Shenfield in the east. And getting to Heathrow will be a breeze — making international travel easier than ever.

Crossrail will introduce 10 new rail stations, each reflective of local contexts. Farringdon station, by Aedas, has diamond grids in one ticket hall and square-coffered ceilings in another, referencing the jewellers of Hatton Garden and the architecture of the Barbican, respectively. Tottenham Court Road station, by Hawkins Brown, pays homage to Soho’s vibrant nightlife and the iconography of nearby Centre Point.

And the new Canary Wharf station, like its London Underground counterpart, is by Foster + Partners — they’ve included nautical elements in a nod to the docks that once occupied the area and are building a rooftop garden to balance out the surrounding glass and steel towers.

There’s also Weston Williamson’s Paddington station, which will be a worthy neighbour to Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s 1854 original. The architects are erecting a dramatic, 120m glass canopy, painted with a site-specific installation by American artist Spencer Finch. Monikered ‘Cloud Index’, its appearance will transform according to light conditions, immersing commuters in an environment that evokes the paintings of John Constable and JMW Turner.

The Elizabeth Line

The trains will have a streamlined, handsome exterior, walk-through carriages with large windows to let in more light, natural finishes that will wear in with time, and a welcoming palette of white, grey and purple.

Crossrail’s excavation of large tracts of central London is also yielding rich historical rewards. A selection of finds, ranging from 8,000-year-old flint to a Roman horseshoe to a Tudor-era bowling ball, will go on display at the Museum of London Docklands from 10 February. Titled Tunnel Archaeology, the exhibition will take visitors on a site-based journey, which illuminates both the lives of Londoners past and the marvels of contemporary engineering. It’s a great way to experience the Crossrail route before it officially opens.

Exterior of Ten Trinity Square

The building

You may recognise Ten Trinity Square from Skyfall, in which it stood in for MI6, or (if you’re old enough), from the opening titles of the 1970s series The Professionals. In real life, Sir Edwin Cooper’s magnificent Beaux-Arts building, near the Tower of London, served as the headquarters of the Port of London Authority. It reopens this week as a Four Seasons hotel. The Edwardian lobby has been carefully restored to its former opulence, while the 100 rooms and suites are refreshingly contemporary.

Faye Toogood
Alamy Stock Photo

The person

London-based Faye Toogood straddles the fields of fashion, interior styling and product design. Her unisex, sculptural garments (created together with her younger sister, Erica) are a standout at Selfridges and Dover Street Market, and anticipation is rife for their co-ed show at London Fashion Week in February. Across the pond, Toogood currently features in a major group exhibition at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and is about to open her first solo show at New York design gallery, Friedman Benda. (fayetoogood.com)

£19, ikea.com

The object

The strongest offering from Swedish furniture purveyor Ikea has long been its PS line, created in collaboration with international designers with the young urban dweller in mind. The 2017 collection, out next month, includes this multi-use light (right) by French industrial designer Matali Crasset. A playful wired form inspired by old railway lamps is combined with an LED light source. As Crasset says: ‘It’s a product with timeless functionality in a modern shell.’ And an affordable one.

Transcending Boundaries

The experience

The new immersive exhibition Transcending Boundaries at Pace London, W1, by teamLab — a Tokyo-based collective of programmers, engineers, animators and designers — is set to be a crowd-pleaser. The self-styled ‘ultra-technologists’ have filled three expansive rooms with interactive installations. Universe of Water Particles involves a virtual waterfall that extends from the gallery wall to the floor around your feet, while Flowers Bloom on People projects floral patterns onto your body in accordance with your movements. (team-lab.net)

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