Westminster Council takes over Piccadilly Circus for Armistice Centenary
To mark the Armistice centenary that falls this weekend, The Unlimited Group and Westminster Council have partnered together to create a thought-provoking commemoration for those who fought in World War I.
The experience seeks to transform Piccadilly Circus - the iconic outdoor ad site - into an unsettling world of sound and light.
Between 6pm and 7pm today (9 November) the project will take over the famous interchange, replacing its lights with a hypnotic visual and aural reminder of the hundreds of thousands of brave soldiers who fought and died in the Great War.
The memorial film, created by TMW Unlimited, is uncomplicated and simply hits home the devastation of the war, through the sight and sound of boots marching relentlessly to war.
As the boots march across the screens, the great sacrifice of the soldiers who fought is further resonated through a counter which visually counts the numbers of lives lost, and aims to remind people of the horrific scale.
As the counter increases, a marker will move across the top of the screen to represent the progress of the war from 1914—1918.
All screens will turn red and black, thus casting an ambient light across the interchange.
Placing the project within its context, the film will also highlight Westminster and London's place in the war. Interspersed with the powerful marching boots the screens will display intimate stories that bring to life some of the individual local names and faces behind the shocking numbers.
Councillor Rachael Robathan, Westminster’s armed forces champion said: “This is both a memorial and awareness piece, aiming to give meaning to the almost unfathomable scale of the sacrifice along with recognising the important role London and Westminster played.”
Tim Bonnet, president of the Unlimited Group, said: “We are very proud to have worked alongside Westminster Council to commemorate such a poignant moment.
"We hope this unique film, from our agency TMW Unlimited, will help us all come together to remember the incredible and selfless bravery that people showed during such a dreadful time. We must never forget the sacrifices made.”