Head Above Water

Photo by Daniel Shearing – courtesy of Stora Enso and Ramboll

#HeadAboveWaterLondon #LDF18 #designjunction @hawLDN

Head Above Water

was a breathtaking, 9 metre high sculpture by British designer/Sculptor, Steuart Padwick, with special thanks to Natalie Alexopoulos. Making a dramatic change to the London skyline, and with panoramic views of St Pauls and the iconic city skyline, as part of designjunction. It stood as a symbol of hope, bravery, compassion and positivity in support of Time to Change‘s campaign to remove the stigma of mental illness.

A 3 min documentary by 7A Films

Photos:

Here are some images that can be downloaded. Please always credit the photographer and add #HeadAboveWaterLondon to any postings.
Luke Walker for Getty Images.

“A bracing, bold intervention into the city’s skyline. A clarion call to remember our humanity from the banks of the most beautiful city on earth.” Simon Stephens (Playwright)

“Head Above Water is a fine emblem of what we all hope for: a healthy, creative, compassionate mind” Kevin McCloud (Designer and TV Presenter)

“Excellent Head on the Thames project, very good and interesting… Best wishes Terence.” Sir Terence Conran (Designer and Restaurateur).”

“Head Above Water by Steuart Padwick is a highly engaging work that prompts vital thinking around mental health – congratulations to all involved.” Helen Pheby (Senior Curator Yorkshire Sculpture Park)

About the project:

Steuart Padwick is best known for his furniture and lighting. Having been offered Queen’s Stone jetty (aka Gabriel’s Pier), Steuart wanted to create a piece that expressed the magnitude of its location.

Photo by Luke Walker – for Getty Images

Head Above Water, began as a clay head that Steuart sculpted, and developed into the wooden piece we see today. It is deliberately gender neutral. Made from cross laminated timber (sourced from PEFC certified forests), it is a model of sustainable smart design and build.


Photo by Sky News

This is a story of Collaboration:

Wonderful people in wonderful companies working pro bono to achieve something very special. Ramboll.co.uk (engineering), HoareLea.com (lighting), StoraEnso.com (Cross Laminated Timber), WhiteProductions.co.uk (Technical Direction), RSE Building Services (electrical installations), The Royal Docks Management Authority (use of King George V lock and facilities), Unusual Rigging (advanced rigging and building), Getty Images (photography and videography), Thames Craft (crane barge), BAM Nuttall (crane, forklift and crew), GallowGlass (additional crew), GBG (jetty survey), Citizen Films (promotional film), DFDS (shipping the timber from Austria), GoPrint3D (3D print supplies), Formlabs (3D printer manufacturer), Rotho Blaas (metal brackets, fittings and screws), Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London and NIHR Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust & King’s College London as well as Sally Marlow, Fellow of the IoPPN (colour and mental health advice), Alexir Packaging (created the boxes for the 1:100 scale model heads), Ridgeons (timber supplies for the models), Made.com (sponsor), Muggi (additional crew), Mode Lighting (technical wizardry for the lighting), Anglepoise (sponsor), PEFC (sponsor), Wood For Good (sponsor), London Decking Company (work to the pier decking), Osram Lighting (driving the lighting effects), FunctionAndForm.co.uk (Web design), Soho House (commissioning film), 7A Films (film about the build), Daniel Shearing (additional photography), Coin Street (Providing the location), designjunction (Event organisers), PLA (help with river license), Lambeth Council (section 30 license), Virgin Atlantic (showing our film for 6 months on all flights). Time to Change, the mental health campaign run by Mind and Rethink Mental Illness will use this to engage and stimulate their discussion to eradicate mental health-related stigma and discrimination.

The Head changed colours:

At night Head above Water was lit and people were able to interact with it’s changing colours to reflect their mood, by tweeting #HeadAboveWaterLondon then #(any of the Head’s 14 emotions)
E.g. Tweeting #HeadAboveWaterLondon #Sad made the head shine lilac grey and blue.

1 min Film showing the changing colours by Hoare Lea

Love shines pink and red.
Happy shines pink and yellow.
OK shines warm white.
Pride shines blue and orange.
Hope shines purple and blue.
Faith shines gold.
Joy shines yellow and orange.
Empathy shines green and orange.

Hate shines red and green.
Sad shines lilac grey and blue.
Shame shines crimson and pale red.
Fear shines blue and magenta.
Angry shines red.
Pain, Guilt or Regret shines green and black.

Original 2 min promotional video by Citizen Films

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