THE THAMES AS A FREE MACHINE

Richard Heslop’s film “Floating”, tells the story of a Docklands bus driver who’s nervous breakdown is manifested in visions of London submerged in water. Driven by this belief, he disassembles his family's tower block flat, in order construct an Ark to save both his family and humanity. Despite its release in 1991, the anxieties of climate catastrophe and floods experienced by the main character remain profoundly relevant. As a response, the project proposes a series of structures along the Thames in Limehouse. Inspired by the area's industrial history, these structures utilise the power of wind and movement of the tide to explore the Thames' potential as a free energy source, addressing local inequalities by equally distributing renewable energy to low-income households, while granting access to a previously inaccessible resource. As climate change worsens fuel scarcity and environmental risks, there is an urgent need for spaces that empower communities with the knowledge to drive change. The project's second phase expands on the concept of a democratic space through the proposal of a community-led parliament for environmental research and debate, inviting the local community and researchers to discuss innovative climate technologies and policies. Referencing back to Richard Heslop’s film ‘floating’, the characters attempt to construct an ark to save humanity is reflected in my parliament, through the facilitation of environmental education and debate. Consequentially the parliament acts as a catalyst for social and climatic change promising a more hopeful future for humanity.