TOOLEY STREET TRIAGLE

 

First, to make it Memorable

 

The first step towards making people go through Tooley is to make it recognizable. A space that is easy to identify is one in which people can agree to meet on. So, our proposal works both as a Landmark and as an Entry Gate to Tooley Street.

 

Second, to make it Attractive

 

A street needs to be welcoming if one wants people to stay on it. The second step, then, is to make Tooley offer something attractive to the passerby. Our proposal is a friendly urban scale sculpture that is immediately inviting. Subtly the piece also works as a series of arches that gradually guide pedestrians into the quieter section of the street.

 

Third, to make it Social

 

We believe in the axiom Being Social = Being Happy. The only way in which people can have a meaningful life is through their relationship with others. But too often in great cities one feels alone in a crowd. Big cities should have small meeting places so as not to be overwhelming. We think that the Tooley Street Triangle can be more than a place to go through, it can be a small gathering point. The two main pieces together with the new benches and the existing trees create a protected area that can host tiny social events or everyday casual encounters.

 

Construction

 

The Giraffes’ construction system is an origami-like folded steel plate structure. The folded skin of each sculpture is divided in 17 sections that are connected to compose the complete shape. Through a pattern of triangulations and of internal rigidizations the whole structure becomes stable and self-supporting.