Lavish and Luxurious: Critic Slams ‘Tiara Bridge’ Honoring Late Queen for Opulence

Should a £46m glass tiara be the chosen memorial for the late UK queen? This is the opinion of the Elizabeth II memorial selection committee, who have selected a dazzling glass bridge designed by Norman Foster to stand in St James’s Park as her lasting tribute, with the announcement made this past Tuesday.

Norman Foster, at 90 years old, is widely regarded as a national icon in the field of architecture, making him a seemingly appropriate choice—an established figure and reliable, who had a personal acquaintance with the queen. This project could serve as a significant final work for the architectural lord, though he appears far from retiring.

His personal relationship with the queen could have been a deciding factor. Lord Foster of Thames Bank, who resigned from his position in the House of Lords in 2010 to maintain his non-dom tax status, mentioned that his encounters with the queen, both formal and informal, played a role in his design approach.

“She exhibited perfect formality when required,” he noted, “and genuine warmth during her personal interactions.” His design aims to “merge the formal with the informal,” reflecting the dual aspects of St James’s Park’s landscaping, originally designed by John Nash in the 1820s.

Foster chose the queen’s wedding tiara as a regal symbol for his design. He envisions a bridge with a cast glass balustrade, ethereally hovering over the lake, representing Her Majesty as a symbol of unity among nations, the Commonwealth, charities, and the armed forces.

Currently, the visuals suggest a temporary installation, possibly sponsored by a brand like Swarovski, and it raises questions about how the Royal Parks’ maintenance staff will manage to keep it immaculate. Foster’s concept brings to mind his earlier “blade of light” idea for the Millennium Bridge, which ultimately was more robust (and unstable) than its initial elegant design suggested.

It might have been prudent for Foster to delve deeper into the history of the tiara itself. Originally crafted in 1919 for Queen Mary, Elizabeth’s grandmother, who was a passionate jewel collector, the tiara was made in the stylish Russian kokoshnik fashion, using diamonds from an old necklace given by Queen Victoria, her grandmother-in-law. It stands as a testament to recycling, having been worn by multiple generations including the Queen Mother, Elizabeth, Princess Anne, and most recently, Princess Beatrice.

Unlike the tiara, Foster’s bridge, which also involves a series of gardens, would lead to the unnecessary destruction of the existing Blue Bridge, constructed in 1957 from designs by Eric Bedford, the Ministry of Works’ youngest chief architect at the time, who later designed the futuristic Post Office Tower in Fitzrovia. Bedford also significantly contributed to Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation, designing steel arches adorned with crowns and motifs, illuminated at night, on the Mall.

In today’s context of urgent climate concerns, where every kilogram of carbon emissions is accounted for and architects strive to preserve existing structures, this plan to demolish a functional bridge seems an odd way to honor anyone. By choosing solid cast glass, which requires furnaces heated to over 1,000C, Foster’s design not only commemorates the queen but also marks an era of extravagant consumption.