London Closes New £2M Artificial Hill In Just 2 Days For Disappointing Visitors
Image via MVRDV
In a rather strange rollercoaster of events, London’s newest temporary installation, the Marble Arch Mound, was opened and then closed again within the same week—two days, to be exact.
Part of the Oxford Street District plan, the 25-meter (82-foot) mini-mountain of grass was designed by Dutch architectural firm MVRDV to be a hybrid between a green space, art installation, and viewing platform. It cost £2 million (US$2,791,890) to build. “Creating an experience of the ‘great outdoors’ right at the centre of the city” was the aim of the “new and meaningful” attraction, according to the Mound’s website.
Situated near London’s Marble Arch, visitors were promised stunning views over Marylebone and the vast greenery of Hyde Park. They were also promised a “heart of the Mound” space once having descended from the peak, where there’d be a café, shop and exhibition area. There was also a lightshow planned, the Lightfield art installation.
But visitors who turned up at the opening on July 26 were sorely disappointed.
Marble arch mound is the worst thing I've ever done in London pic.twitter.com/njmpOFxrbf
— Emma Wright (@emmabethwright) July 27, 2021
'I wouldn't pay £4 to walk up a hill'
— BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) July 29, 2021
London's latest tourist attraction - Marble Arch Mound - is facing an uphill struggle in its first week of opening
Ticket-holders being offered refunds after complaints that it was incompletehttps://t.co/EOnAyNM0xp pic.twitter.com/7mg552M8PK
It has been compared to the house in the Teletubbies.
Marble Arch mound opens to visitors at a cost of £2 million. pic.twitter.com/fzBTlgTjEj
— J.R.Hartley’s Armchair. (@JRsArmchair) July 27, 2021
I actually love the Marble Arch mound. pic.twitter.com/E2RPAwjfDM
— Ben (@velzzb) July 27, 2021
And there is even a thread detailing the Mound’s shortcomings.
I went to the Marble Arch Mound today. It cost £2 million to build, and today was launch day, but it was still quite quiet.
— dan barker (@danbarker) July 26, 2021
Here is a short thread with info.
First, the original plan drawings and the marketing description do not quite match reality. pic.twitter.com/Km4YFbxySm
“We are aware that elements of the Marble Arch Mound are not yet ready for visitors,” admits the Westminster City Council in a statement. “The Mound is a living building by design. We’ll continue to adapt and improve London’s newest outdoor attraction and resolve any teething problems as they emerge.”
In a head-hanging moment of apparent finality, the Council has closed the attraction and tickets are not open for any more bookings, and is offering refunds on tickets booked for the opening week. It’s unclear why the Mound opened in the first place if it wasn’t ready, when it will open again, or if it even will in the first place. What a mystery.
Image via MVRDV
[via CNN, image via MVRDV]
