The Shard opens to the public today – to those brave souls who venture 244 metres up in the high speed lift for a glimpse of the 360 degree, 40 mile view across London – we say don’t look down!
On a freakishly hot weekend last May, five weeks before it’s inauguration we filmed Rasmus, our Alexander, by the modern day pyramid from a South London rooftop as the sun set. Our short film happened by chance, but the first question was if Alexander emerged in London today where would he show up? It seemed right that he’d appear – Peter Pan like – by The Shard, symbol of power & dominance, foreign occupier, egotistical dream. As you look at the skyline you can’t help feeling the intense phallic nature of the building, in contrast to the smaller feminine shape of St Paul’s a few metres away.
But the ‘vertical city’ that inspired fear & loathing now takes on different shapes, a sparkling Christmas tree for all London in the night sky, then a Shard of ice or giant stalagmite glistening in the winter sun….
With The Quill & The scalpel expected to join the London skyline in the next few years, you might ask which mythical figures may be drawn to them?
