Heavy Ecology
2022 (unrealised project)
River Thames, UK

By the River Thames in Barking there was once a power station built at the same time as the Tate Modern but four times the size. The site of the power station was chosen for easy delivery of coal for which massive quantities were needed to keep the generators burning, the waste from this was dumped onto the surrounding marshland killing it in the process. In the 1960’s the power station was starting to be decommissioned and demolished leaving a trail of toxic land in its wake. This complete destruction of the land made it unhabitable for both people and wildlife but even in these extreme conditions a new ecosystem formed showing that even at our worst humans are still entwined with nature.   

Heavy Ecology was commissioned to be a permanent sculpture in the River Thames in Barking Riverside. The design is based on a Japanese Torii which translates as bird abode that acts as a spiritual gateway, likewise Heavy Ecology was a sculptural shrine for people to venerate birds and learn of their importance. The design uses materials and processes normally reserved in heavy industry infrastructure but instead they are for wetland birds giving a delicate egg the same importance as the economy. The sculpture was to provide a refuge for wetland birds using an old pier that was due to come back into service but in the end a solution was found for the birds and boats to both be able to use the pier meaning the sculpture didn’t get beyond the design stage. Elsewhere there is still the need for such refugees to venerate and provide for birds and one day we hope to get to build Heavy Ecology.