A group of artists has created deliberately dreary sandcastles as part of designer Thomas Heatherwick's Humanise campaign, which aims to draw attention to what he calls the growing 'blandemic' of uninspired buildings across the world. The unique art installation, called 'Bland Castles,' took place yesterday in the seaside town of Morecambe Bay in the UK.
The sand artist collective Sand In Your Eye constructed a three-meter-wide cityscape designed to mimic the flat, lifeless tower blocks that have become commonplace in towns and cities throughout the UK. The sculptures were intentionally created to be 'deliberately bleak,' forming what organizers described as a stark contrast to the typical joyful nature of sandcastle building.
Dan McFadden of Sand In Your Eyes was among the participating artists who helped bring this unconventional vision to life. The installation served as a powerful visual metaphor for the soulless architecture that Heatherwick believes is plaguing urban environments worldwide. The campaign specifically targets what it sees as the proliferation of boring, uninspiring buildings that fail to uplift the human spirit.
The event also invited members of the public to participate by designing and building their own sandcastles alongside the artists' creations. These public contributions were decorated with shells and colorful flags, creating a 'more joyful' effect that stood in stark contrast to the deliberately monotonous Bland Castles. This participatory element was designed to demonstrate the natural human inclination toward creative, interesting architecture.
'The Humanise campaign's Bland Castles beach takeover is a poignant idea, because it's both powerful and also very playful,' Heatherwick explained. 'Taking the beautifully simple act of building sandcastles on a beach yet making them boring and soulless.' He argued that these bland sandcastles represent the current state of urban design, which he believes should involve more public input and consideration for human wellbeing.
Heatherwick emphasized his belief that current urban planning has failed communities for too long. 'That's what's been happening in our towns and cities for far too long,' he stated. 'The places where we live, that are meant to lift us up, are instead bringing us down.' He pointed to the public's enthusiastic participation in creating more interesting structures as evidence of people's desire for better architecture.
'But just look at what's happening at Morecambe Bay when the public are invited to be involved,' Heatherwick added. 'They, of course, don't want soulless blocks, but instead are creating interesting, uplifting structures. Proof, if we really do still need it, that human beings need joyful human buildings with complexity, detail and interestingness.'
The one-day event, which took place on August 6, represents the latest initiative from the Humanise campaign, which has previously created 'boring alter-egos' of famous UK landmarks to make similar points about architectural design. The campaign continues Heatherwick's broader mission to advocate for more human-centered, emotionally engaging architecture that serves communities rather than simply filling space.
Photography for the event was provided by James Speakman of PA Media Assignments. As part of the ongoing Humanise campaign, founder Heatherwick has also selected 10 'humanized' buildings to showcase positive examples of architecture that successfully connects with people and enhances their daily lives.
