From the Thames to Eternity installation

From the Thames to Eternity is a temporary stone re-use project designed by Matthew Barnett Howland, Oliver Wilton and CSK Architects. The project aims to improve wayfinding and raise awareness about material lifecycle, circularity and cultural heritage.

The project will re-use 58 granite stones removed from 19 Century Thames river wall at Victoria Embankment. These huge one tonne stones will be placed at seven sites across the City of London, from the River Thames up to Smithfield Market to create places to sit or could be used as a street performance place.

The project seeks to provoke public discussion about material lifespan, circularity and cultural heritage, especially when stone can make a significant contribution to a more sustainable built environment.

The stones were quarried in the C19th, mainly in Cornwall and Scotland, for use in Joseph Bazalgette’s Thames river wall at Victoria Embankment. They have been removed to enable the new Thames Tideway Tunnel and are installed here on a temporary basis before moving on to their next long-term use in a forthcoming urban realm project in the City.