The plan to create a floating public space along the Thames is a great idea, writes critic Rowan Moore, but the proposed London River Park will suffer from its private ownership and management.
The full 50 million pounds it will take to construct the space will be provided by asset-management company Venus, saving the city from any expense. But in return, Venus will be allowed to rent pavilions in the space and a prime vantage point for TV cameras during the upcoming Olympics:
"In this it is the latest example of a widespread type of the 21st century, the pseudo-public space, in which the City of London and its satellites are world leaders."
"In each the shapes and attributes of town squares are imitated – an oblong or round shape, outdoor art, cafe tables, fountains – and sometimes real public assets are created, but ultimate control is in the hands of private landowners."
FULL STORY: The London River Park: place for the people or a private playground?
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