A MILE LONG FLOATING WALKWAY ON LONDON'S RIVER THAMES IS BEING PLANNED IN THE HEART OF THE CAPITAL, ALLOWING VIEWS OF THE CITY'S HIDDEN ALLEYS, WHARVES AND LANDMARKS DATING BACK TO MEDIEVAL TIMES. THE PONTOON, KNOWN AS THE 'LONDON RIVER PARK', WILL CONNECT BLACKFRIARS BRIDGE, ON THE WESTERN EDGE OF THE ANCIENT CITY, AND THE TOWER OF LONDON. SUSPENDED A FEW FEET ABOVE THE WATER ON THE NORTH BANK, THE WALK WILL BE INTERSPERSED WITH FIVE GLASS-ENCASED PAVILIONS HOUSING A MUSEUM, A CINEMA, A CONCERT HALL AND AN ECO-PARK AMONGST OTHER ATTRACTIONS. SWIMMING POOLS ARE CENTRAL TO DRAWINGS OF ONE FUTURISTIC-LOOKING ENCLOSURE. THE 'PROMENADE', TO BE BUILT IN TIME FOR THE OLYMPIC GAMES AND THE QUEEN'S DIAMOND JUBILEE IN 2012, IF FUNDING IS FOUND, WON THE MAYOR OF LONDON'S AWARD FOR PLANNING EXCELLENCE LAST WEEK. THE MAYOR WHO HAS CHAMPIONED THE REJUVENATION OF THE RIVER AS A TRANSPORT ARTERY AND TOURIST ATTRACTION SAID IT WILL ALLOW THE PUBLIC TO 'WANDER THROUGH THE MEANDERING BACKSTREETS OF THE ANCIENT CITY.' A SPOKESPERSON FOR ARCHITECTS GENSLER, WHO DREW UP THE PLANS, SAID THE SCHEME WAS STILL AT A CONCEPTUAL STAGE BUT THAT TALKS ARE TAKING PLACE WITH A NUMBER OF INVESTORS TO FUND THE $40 MILLION PROJECT. THE ELEGANT STRUCTURE ALLOWS VISITORS TO HOP ON AND OFF THE WALKWAY VIA GANGWAYS ALLOWING THEM TO EXPLORE LANDMARKS, ALLEYS AND DISUSED WHARVES CLOSE TO THE SHORE. MANY OF THE CRAMPED COBBLED STREETS, WITH NAMES LIKE 'STEW LANE' AND 'BROKEN WHARF' HAVE BECOME DIFFICULT TO ACCESS AS THE CITY GREW EXPONENTIALLY OVER THE CENTURIES AND ARE WAY OFF THE USUAL TOURIST ROUTES. THE PONTOON RUNS PAST PROTECTED ANCIENT SITES LIKE QUEENHITHE DOCK, ONE OF THE EARLIEST OF LONDON'S HARBORS THAT DATES BACK TO SAXON AND POSSIBLY ROMAN TIMES. THE WALK WILL ALSO GIVE UNIQUE VANTAGES OF OLD BILLINGSGATE FISH MARKET, THE CENTER OF THE CITY'S FISH TRADE IN THE 16th AND 17th CENTURIES, AND CUSTOM HOUSE, A SITE FIRST USED BY LONDON'S CUSTOMS SERVICE IN 1275. AN ADVANTAGE OF THE DESIGN IS THAT IT CAN BE MOVED AND REASSEMBLED IN ANOTHER PART OF THE CITY AND THE 'PODS' GIVEN NEW THEMES TO SUIT DIFFERENT OCCASIONS.

FLOATING WALKWAY PLANNED FOR LONDON

A MILE LONG FLOATING WALKWAY ON LONDON'S RIVER THAMES IS BEING PLANNED IN THE HEART OF THE CAPITAL, ALLOWING VIEWS OF THE CITY'S HIDDEN ALLEYS, WHARVES AND LANDMARKS DATING BACK TO MEDIEVAL TIMES. THE PONTOON, KNOWN AS THE 'LONDON RIVER PARK', WILL CONNECT BLACKFRIARS BRIDGE, ON THE WESTERN EDGE OF THE ANCIENT CITY, AND THE TOWER OF LONDON. SUSPENDED A FEW FEET ABOVE THE WATER ON THE NORTH BANK, THE WALK WILL BE INTERSPERSED WITH FIVE GLASS-ENCASED PAVILIONS HOUSING A MUSEUM, A CINEMA, A CONCERT HALL AND AN ECO-PARK AMONGST OTHER ATTRACTIONS. SWIMMING POOLS ARE CENTRAL TO DRAWINGS OF ONE FUTURISTIC-LOOKING ENCLOSURE. THE 'PROMENADE', TO BE BUILT IN TIME FOR THE OLYMPIC GAMES AND THE QUEEN'S DIAMOND JUBILEE IN 2012, IF FUNDING IS FOUND, WON THE MAYOR OF LONDON'S AWARD FOR PLANNING EXCELLENCE LAST WEEK. THE MAYOR WHO HAS CHAMPIONED THE REJUVENATION OF THE RIVER AS A TRANSPORT ARTERY AND TOURIST ATTRACTION SAID IT WILL ALLOW THE PUBLIC TO 'WANDER THROUGH THE MEANDERING BACKSTREETS OF THE ANCIENT CITY.' A SPOKESPERSON FOR ARCHITECTS GENSLER, WHO DREW UP THE PLANS, SAID THE SCHEME WAS STILL AT A CONCEPTUAL STAGE BUT THAT TALKS ARE TAKING PLACE WITH A NUMBER OF INVESTORS TO FUND THE $40 MILLION PROJECT. THE ELEGANT STRUCTURE ALLOWS VISITORS TO HOP ON AND OFF THE WALKWAY VIA GANGWAYS ALLOWING THEM TO EXPLORE LANDMARKS, ALLEYS AND DISUSED WHARVES CLOSE TO THE SHORE. MANY OF THE CRAMPED COBBLED STREETS, WITH NAMES LIKE 'STEW LANE' AND 'BROKEN WHARF' HAVE BECOME DIFFICULT TO ACCESS AS THE CITY GREW EXPONENTIALLY OVER THE CENTURIES AND ARE WAY OFF THE USUAL TOURIST ROUTES. THE PONTOON RUNS PAST PROTECTED ANCIENT SITES LIKE QUEENHITHE DOCK, ONE OF THE EARLIEST OF LONDON'S HARBORS THAT DATES BACK TO SAXON AND POSSIBLY ROMAN TIMES. THE WALK WILL ALSO GIVE UNIQUE VANTAGES OF OLD BILLINGSGATE FISH MARKET, THE CENTER OF THE CITY'S FISH TRADE IN THE 16th AND 17th CENTURIES, AND CUSTOM HOUSE, A SITE FIRST USED BY LONDON'S CUSTOMS SERVICE IN 1275. AN ADVANTAGE OF THE DESIGN IS THAT IT CAN BE MOVED AND REASSEMBLED IN ANOTHER PART OF THE CITY AND THE 'PODS' GIVEN NEW THEMES TO SUIT DIFFERENT OCCASIONS.

FLOATING WALKWAY PLANNED FOR LONDON

A GIANT BLUE ROOSTER AND A BOY ON A ROCKING HORSE WILL STAND ALONGSIDE A STATUE OF MILITARY HERO ADM HORATIA NELSON IN LONDON'S TRAFALGAR SQUARE. OFFICIALS ON FRIDAY ANNOUNCED THE NEXT TWO ARTWORKS TO FILL THE SQUARE'S EMPTY 'FOURTH PLINTH', ONE OF THE CITY'S MAJOR SHOWCASES FOR PUBLIC ART. NEXT YEAR THE PLATFORM WILL HOLD A BRONZE SCULPTURE OF A BOY ASTRIDE A ROCKING HORSE BY MICHAEL ELMGREEN AND INGAR DRAGSET. THE PIECE IS INTENDED AS A THOUGHTFUL RIPOSTE TO THE SQUARE'S MILITARY MONUMENTS. IT WILL BE FOLLOWED IN 2013 BY GERMAN ARTIST KATHERINE FRITSCH'S ULTRAMARINE COCKEREL, DESIGNED TO SYMBOLIZE 'REGENERATION, AWAKENING AND STRENGTH'. MAYOR BORIS JOHNSON SAID THE 'WITTY AND ENIGMATIC CREATIONS UNDERLINE LONDON'S POSITION AS ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING CITIES FOR ART AND ARE SURE TO KEEP PEOPLE TALKING.'ONE OF LONDON'S MAIN TOURIST ATTRACTIONS, THE SQUARE WAS NAMED AFTER NELSON'S 1805 VICTORY OVER THE FRENCH AND SPANISH FLEETS. A STATUE OF THE ONE-ARMED ADMIRAL STANDS ATOP NELSON'S COLUMN AT THE CENTER OF THE PLAZA, AND STATUES OF OTHER 19th CENTURY MILITARY LEADERS ARE NEARBY. THE FOURTH PLINTH WAS ERECTED IN 1841 FOR AN EQUESTRIAN STATUE THAT WAS NEVER COMPLETED. SINCE 1999 IT HAS BEEN OCCUPIED BY ARTWORKS ERECTED FOR ABOUT 18 MONTHS AT A TIME. THE CURRENT OCCUPANT IS YINKA SHONIBARE'S 'NELSON'S SHIP IN A BOTTLE', A REPLICA OF THE NAVAL HERO'S HMS VICTORY WITH MULTI-COLOURED SAILS OF AFRICAN CLOTH.

NEW ARTWORKS FOR 'FOURTH PLINTH' UNVEILED

A GIANT BLUE ROOSTER AND A BOY ON A ROCKING HORSE WILL STAND ALONGSIDE A STATUE OF MILITARY HERO ADM HORATIA NELSON IN LONDON'S TRAFALGAR SQUARE. OFFICIALS ON FRIDAY ANNOUNCED THE NEXT TWO ARTWORKS TO FILL THE SQUARE'S EMPTY 'FOURTH PLINTH', ONE OF THE CITY'S MAJOR SHOWCASES FOR PUBLIC ART. NEXT YEAR THE PLATFORM WILL HOLD A BRONZE SCULPTURE OF A BOY ASTRIDE A ROCKING HORSE BY MICHAEL ELMGREEN AND INGAR DRAGSET. THE PIECE IS INTENDED AS A THOUGHTFUL RIPOSTE TO THE SQUARE'S MILITARY MONUMENTS. IT WILL BE FOLLOWED IN 2013 BY GERMAN ARTIST KATHERINE FRITSCH'S ULTRAMARINE COCKEREL, DESIGNED TO SYMBOLIZE 'REGENERATION, AWAKENING AND STRENGTH'. MAYOR BORIS JOHNSON SAID THE 'WITTY AND ENIGMATIC CREATIONS UNDERLINE LONDON'S POSITION AS ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING CITIES FOR ART AND ARE SURE TO KEEP PEOPLE TALKING.'ONE OF LONDON'S MAIN TOURIST ATTRACTIONS, THE SQUARE WAS NAMED AFTER NELSON'S 1805 VICTORY OVER THE FRENCH AND SPANISH FLEETS. A STATUE OF THE ONE-ARMED ADMIRAL STANDS ATOP NELSON'S COLUMN AT THE CENTER OF THE PLAZA, AND STATUES OF OTHER 19th CENTURY MILITARY LEADERS ARE NEARBY. THE FOURTH PLINTH WAS ERECTED IN 1841 FOR AN EQUESTRIAN STATUE THAT WAS NEVER COMPLETED. SINCE 1999 IT HAS BEEN OCCUPIED BY ARTWORKS ERECTED FOR ABOUT 18 MONTHS AT A TIME. THE CURRENT OCCUPANT IS YINKA SHONIBARE'S 'NELSON'S SHIP IN A BOTTLE', A REPLICA OF THE NAVAL HERO'S HMS VICTORY WITH MULTI-COLOURED SAILS OF AFRICAN CLOTH.

NEW ARTWORKS FOR 'FOURTH PLINTH' UNVEILED

BRITISH DEPARTMENT STORE SELFRIDGES HAS RECENTLY ANNOUNCED THAT IT WILL BE OPENING THE WORLD'S LARGEST SHOE DEPARTMENT ON 23.SEPTEMBER. LOCATED ON THE AWARD-WINNING STORE'S SECOND FLOOR, THE SUPER-SIZED 'SHOE GALLERIES' WILL HOUSE MORE THAN 4,000 PAIRS OF SHOES FROM 120 BRANDS, INCLUDING 35 NEW LABELS AND MORE THAN 30 EXCLUSIVE STYLES DESIGNED JUST FOR THE RETAILER. DESIGNED BY ARCHITECT JAMIE FOBERT, THE GROUND-BREAKING SPACE WILL ALSO INCLUDE 11 'APARTMENT' BOUTIQUES FOR PREMIER LABELS (CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN, JIMMY CHOO, CHANNEL, DIOR, FENDI, PRADA, GUCCI, TOD's, UGG, TOPSHOP, AND REPETTO), WHICH WILL BE DESIGNED ACCORDING TO THE LABEL'S UNIQUE STYLE.
FOR INSTANCE, WHILE THE LOUBOUTIN APARTMENT IS MODELED AFTER THE DESIGNER'S PARIS HOME, REPETTO'S WILL BE INSPIRED BY A BALLET STUDIO, AND FENDI'S WILL BE BASED ON THE FASHION HOUSE'S ROMAN PALAZZO.

SELFRIDGE'S TO OPEN WORLD'S LARGEST SHOE-DEPARTMENT

BRITISH DEPARTMENT STORE SELFRIDGES HAS RECENTLY ANNOUNCED THAT IT WILL BE OPENING THE WORLD'S LARGEST SHOE DEPARTMENT ON 23.SEPTEMBER. LOCATED ON THE AWARD-WINNING STORE'S SECOND FLOOR, THE SUPER-SIZED 'SHOE GALLERIES' WILL HOUSE MORE THAN 4,000 PAIRS OF SHOES FROM 120 BRANDS, INCLUDING 35 NEW LABELS AND MORE THAN 30 EXCLUSIVE STYLES DESIGNED JUST FOR THE RETAILER. DESIGNED BY ARCHITECT JAMIE FOBERT, THE GROUND-BREAKING SPACE WILL ALSO INCLUDE 11 'APARTMENT' BOUTIQUES FOR PREMIER LABELS (CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN, JIMMY CHOO, CHANNEL, DIOR, FENDI, PRADA, GUCCI, TOD's, UGG, TOPSHOP, AND REPETTO), WHICH WILL BE DESIGNED ACCORDING TO THE LABEL'S UNIQUE STYLE.
FOR INSTANCE, WHILE THE LOUBOUTIN APARTMENT IS MODELED AFTER THE DESIGNER'S PARIS HOME, REPETTO'S WILL BE INSPIRED BY A BALLET STUDIO, AND FENDI'S WILL BE BASED ON THE FASHION HOUSE'S ROMAN PALAZZO.

SELFRIDGE'S TO OPEN WORLD'S LARGEST SHOE-DEPARTMENT

THE BERKELY, LONDON'S LUXURIOUS AND BELOVED FIVE STAR KNIGHTSBRIDGE HOTEL, HAS RECENTLY OPENED KOFFMANN'S, A STUNNING NEW RESTAURANT FROM LEGENDARY FRENCH CHEF PIERRE KOFFMANN. OVERLOOKING HYDE PARK, THE HISTORIC HOTEL HAS LONG BEEN THE DESTINATION OF CHOICE FOR STYLISH TRAVELERS INCLUDING MEMBERS OF THE ROYAL FAMILY MADONNA AND GWYNTH PALTROW. CHEF KOFFMANN, WHOSE NAME HAS BEEN SYNONYMOUS WITH SOME OF THE UK'S FINEST FRENCH CUISINE FOR OVER 35 YEARS, COUNTS GORDON RAMSAY AMONG HIS PROTEGES. THE OPENING OF KOFFMANN'S MARKS THE CHEF'S RETURN TO THE BERKELEY, WHERE HE WAS AS THE HELM OF THE CELEBRATED LA TANTA CLAIRE UNTIL ITS CLOSING IN 2003. THE KOFFMANN'S MENU FEATURES SEVERAL OF THE CITY'S SIGNATURE ITEMS, SUCH AS BRAISED PIG'S TROTTER WITH MORELS, WHICH GUESTS MAY RECOGNIZE FROM LA TANTE CLAIRE, BUT ON THE WHOLE KOFFMANN HAS MOVED INTO A MORE RELAXED, INFORMAL STYLE WHILE STILL EMBRACING HIS CLASSICAL, PROVINCIAL, FRENCH CULINARY ROOTS. THE MENU OFFERS HEARTY, ROBUST, SEASONAL DISHES, MANY INFLUENCED BY HIS GASCON HERITAGE, WHICH CAN BE ENJOYED SEVEN DAYS A WEEK FOR BOTH LUNCH AND DINNER.

KOFFMANN'S OPENS AT THE BERKELEY LONDON

THE BERKELY, LONDON'S LUXURIOUS AND BELOVED FIVE STAR KNIGHTSBRIDGE HOTEL, HAS RECENTLY OPENED KOFFMANN'S, A STUNNING NEW RESTAURANT FROM LEGENDARY FRENCH CHEF PIERRE KOFFMANN. OVERLOOKING HYDE PARK, THE HISTORIC HOTEL HAS LONG BEEN THE DESTINATION OF CHOICE FOR STYLISH TRAVELERS INCLUDING MEMBERS OF THE ROYAL FAMILY MADONNA AND GWYNTH PALTROW. CHEF KOFFMANN, WHOSE NAME HAS BEEN SYNONYMOUS WITH SOME OF THE UK'S FINEST FRENCH CUISINE FOR OVER 35 YEARS, COUNTS GORDON RAMSAY AMONG HIS PROTEGES. THE OPENING OF KOFFMANN'S MARKS THE CHEF'S RETURN TO THE BERKELEY, WHERE HE WAS AS THE HELM OF THE CELEBRATED LA TANTA CLAIRE UNTIL ITS CLOSING IN 2003. THE KOFFMANN'S MENU FEATURES SEVERAL OF THE CITY'S SIGNATURE ITEMS, SUCH AS BRAISED PIG'S TROTTER WITH MORELS, WHICH GUESTS MAY RECOGNIZE FROM LA TANTE CLAIRE, BUT ON THE WHOLE KOFFMANN HAS MOVED INTO A MORE RELAXED, INFORMAL STYLE WHILE STILL EMBRACING HIS CLASSICAL, PROVINCIAL, FRENCH CULINARY ROOTS. THE MENU OFFERS HEARTY, ROBUST, SEASONAL DISHES, MANY INFLUENCED BY HIS GASCON HERITAGE, WHICH CAN BE ENJOYED SEVEN DAYS A WEEK FOR BOTH LUNCH AND DINNER.

KOFFMANN'S OPENS AT THE BERKELEY LONDON