An exhibition of 21st Century fortresses designed to defend Heathrow from possible runway expansion go on show at the Bargehouse.
Often referred to as the magic number, three cleverly isn't all that spellbinding when it comes to airport runways. In January this year, Greenpeace launched an architectural competition, The Heathrow Contest, to design a 21st century fortress, mighty enough to resist the BAA's bulldozers should push come to shove in the proposed plans to build another runway at Heathrow. Thankfully, extension plans seem to have been thwarted and this week a band of grateful airport campaigners headed over to Downing Street to say ta to Prime Minister Cameron and his Deputy, Clegg. However, people can still admire the recently announced winning entries at the Bargehouse, Oxo Tower Wharf on the South Bank from 2-6 June.
A panel of judges, including Turner Prize-winner Rachel Whiteread sifted their way through a stack of 67 entries from architects across the country – including an adventure playground, a house made out of aircraft tyres and a sky barn – before choosing a winner. Groundswell by Lukas Barry and Alastair Parvin is an intricate labyrinth of habitable tunnels submerged deep beneath a purpose-built hill. (Let's hope the government don't go against their word, because between you and me, I don't fancy their chances against this bad boy.)
Greenpeace and many, many other campaigners are now part of a legal Deed of Trust, a document containing over 90,000 names of people who jointly own the plot of land at the centre of the proposed runway area. The Airplot campaign, launched last year by Emma Thompson and Alistair McGowan, means that thousands of people, from celebrities to politicians Zac Goldsmith and Nick Clegg, now own a slice of the land – even David Cameron agreed to have a tree planted in his honour.
The Heathrow Contest is on at the Bargehouse from 2-6 June.
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