TALK | Tideway – more than just a tunnel

The development of London is linked to large-scale infrastructure projects that allow us to live in the city and move around it more freely. One of the most famous of these is Bazalgette’s sewer, completed in 1875, which could carry 2 billion litres of waste every day. By the time of the great engineer’s death in 1891, the population of London had doubled from when he had drawn up his initial designs. We now find ourselves in dire need of a new super sewer and that’s where the Thames Tideway Tunnel comes in.

The new £4.5bn project will significantly upgrade the existing system and clean up the river for people and wildlife, as well as building our resilience to flood risks. Stretching 25km, work on the project began in 2015 and it is expected to complete in 2025, with works currently underway on 24 sites in the capital.

Mega projects like this represent more than just tunnels though, they provide us with an opportunity to totally reconsider what London should look like and how it operates. Thinking at this scale has such a huge urban impact and presents lots of opportunities to create new types of spaces. This includes additions to the public realm, as the embankment spills out onto the river, providing new landscapes and the chance to install artworks for all to enjoy.

Hawkins\Brown are hosting an evening in their new studios where we can hear from those responsible for the planning and delivery of this historic project, including the role that architects, engineers and artists have in the Tideway scheme.

Introduction by Roger Hawkins.

Confirmed Speakers: Clare Donnelly (Lead Architect, on the Thames Tideway Tunnel project, Fereday Pollard); Fiona Stewart (Hawkins\Brown); Nathan Coley (Artist); and Roger Bailey (Chief Technical Officer, Thames Tideway).

Chair: Darryl Chen (Hawkins\Brown)

In the build up to this event, please feel free to share via social media:  #LondonSociety2024  #LoveLondon  @londonsoc