Traffic Light Tree

Traffic Light Tree (traffic light tree ) is called a light sculpture by the French sculptor Pierre Vivant (* 1952). The installation was built in 1998 on a roundabout ( Heron Quay Bank, Marsh Wall and Westferry Road ) in the midst of the office building complex in London's Canary Wharf Tower Hamlets. The end of 2013 the sculpture was moved to the roundabout in Trafalgar Way (access to Billingsgate Fish Market ).

Description

The eight -meter-high, green painted steel sculpture in the form of a branched tree consists of 75 computer-controlled traffic lights with the three signal colors green, yellow and red, as well as pedestrian traffic lights. Developed in the 1995 to 1998 on behalf of the London Public Art Commissions Agency installation replaced a three plane trees, which was there, presumably because of the pollution, which was received by the market. The sculpture intended to mimic not only a tree, but also " reflect the energy of the developing Canary Wharf area. " Originally, the lights should be controlled by the exchange rates of the London Stock Exchange, but the reaction proved to be too expensive.

The artist about his sculpture:

" The sculpture imitates the natural landscape of the Adjacent London Plane Trees, while the changing pattern of the lights and Reveals Reflects the never ending rhythm of the surrounding domestic, financial and commercial activities. "

" The sculpture imitates the natural landscape of the adjacent London plane trees, while the changing lights reflect the never ending rhythm of the surrounding domestic, financial and commercial activities. "

Although the alleged traffic signal irritated some road users, the object quickly became a tourist attraction. In a poll of British insurance company Saga Group on " the best and worst roundabouts in the country", the Traffic Light Tree counted among motorists clearly one of the " best looking " favorites.