CONCEPT

Based on the observations I made on the hill: it was on different levels, it was a beautiful journey accompany with the sounds of the birds; and the on under the bridge: a passage between calton road and Waterloo place was missing and the two doors on each sides are hidden, not use and atypical: I decided to create sculptural stairs from the doors on each sides of the bridge, going down with platform at different levels. The platforms are the destinations of the journey, as the tower and the different view points on the hills. It gives the possibility to see the bridge from on other perspective, and the senses are stimulated with sounds recorded on the hill streamed from the installations.

The stairs are made of concrete, to show that when something seams too difficult, even impossible, with good will everything can be overcome. It bring back to the main concept of the project: everyone has the power to act to make what seems impossible possible: to change or to transform a space, a state of mind into something positive.

Metal cables are supporting the all structure from the top of the bridge and the surrounded buildings to make possible these suspended concrete stairs, and lightweight concrete would be uses instead of classic concrete.

Each platforms has the shape of one of the top contour of the hill. The material would change on the floor and for the balustrades to differ from the route and symbolise a destination. On the floor the spatial coordinates and the height corresponding on the place in the hill will be engrave to give a sign of the concept. 

PROCESS

FI started with a sketch model on SketchUp to figure out the hight I needed to allow fire truck to pass underneath and how low I had to go from the top to be able to have enough height to pass under the bridge. I also had to follow the regulations for staircase in public spaces. It gave me a general organisation of the stairs I was able to work from.

I also did some try for light and shadow on cinema 4D.

I had to decide if I wanted balustrades as wall or with rod. I decided to use rod, which is more like the trees on the hills: you can see through but not completely. 

I had the feeling the installation had not enough meaning and impact (drawing 1): it was simple stairs under an arch. I decided to incorporate the contour of the hills in the installation. First as lines engraved in the concrete and some platforms (drawing 2): I realised it would not have any sense as you would never be able to see it from the top, like on the drawing.

The final choice has been that each platform has the shape of one of the top contour of the hill (drawing 3 and 4). The material changes on the floor and for the balustrade from the platform and the stairs to differ from the route and symbolise a destination. I tried with glass, but it would have been impossible to bend like the shape of the platform. So I decided to change only the colour on the floor, and the height or the shape of the balustrade. On the floor the coordinates and the meters above sea level (corresponding on the place in the hill) are engraved to give a sign of the concept.