London, a city rich in history and culture, boasts a remarkable tapestry of architectural designs. From its iconic landmarks to its charming side streets, the city stands as a testament to centuries of innovative design and craftsmanship. At the heart of this vast architectural landscape is a design element that has captivated builders and artists alike for centuries: the mosaic tile.
Mosaic tiling, characterised by its intricate patterns and dazzling array of colours, has been a favoured design feature in London over many years, and for several reasons. Used across the city in the Roman Empire, the Byzantine Empire, and the Victorian period, many of these designs have been preserved or restored over the years.
In an age where modernity often eclipses tradition, there’s a conscious movement to maintain this connection to London’s past. These restorative initiatives ensure that the charm and history embedded in these tiles remain for generations to come, weaving the tale of a city that has always found beauty in the smallest of details.
From old to new, restorations to new installations, here are just some ways that the City of London has been graced with beautiful and artistic mosaic tiling over the years:
Adding colour and art to London Bridge
Down by London Bridge Station, an impressive piece of artwork is currently being installed. In a collaboration between the London School of Mosaic and artist Adam Nathaniel Furman, ‘A Thousand Streams’ is a 57-metre long mosaic mural which is estimated to be seen by over 21 million people in a single year.
The mosaic mural is the largest art piece by Furman so far who was inspired by both the Neo-Byzantine style of Westminster Cathedral and Eduardo Paolozzi’s work in Tottenham Court Road Station. The painstakingly slow installation of mosaic tiles is currently underway with completion expected to be in April 2024.
The intricate mosaic features of Westminster Cathedral
Part of what inspired Adam Nathaniel Furman to create his large-scale mosaic tile artwork was the appeal of the tile work found in the Neo-Byzantine design style of Westminster Cathedral. While the style uses round arches, domes, and brick surfaces, it also makes use of decorative mosaic tiling.
With a mixture of art, marble, and mosaics, many leading artists have contributed to the interior decoration of Westminster Cathedral over the years, as it was always intended to be added to across generations. Beautiful mosaic tiling and mosaic panels can be found on the walls of the cathedral which reflect the change in style over the past 100 years. While there are many great sights to see in London, this cathedral promises to be a must-see location among other great architectural sights in the city.
Findlater Corner railway arch restoration project
Derelict railway arches next to London Bridge Station have also recently been restored as part of a large £3m investment. The derelict site was considered to be an ‘eyesore’ but has now been restored to a much better condition.
Renovation work began last year to restore the Edwardian features of the arches which were home to Findlater, Mackie & Todd, which opened in 1863. During renovations, the team unearthed a surprise discovery; a beautiful glass mosaic which was for an Express Dairy Tea Room as far back as the early 1900s.
‘Completely unique’ Roman mausoleum discovered in Southwark
In the era of the Roman empire, mosaic tiles were often used for creating beautiful mosaic patterns on floors which depicted gods, patterns, and colourful scenes of everyday life. As a new housing and retail development is being created near London Bridge, many incredible discoveries have been unearthed.
Back in early 2022, a beautiful Roman dining room mosaic floor was discovered, and now in 2023, there have been even more amazing finds. Two more well-preserved mosaics, which are portions of wall and flooring, are thought to be from a ‘completely unique’ Roman mausoleum.
London’s ‘most artistic looking’ Tube station: Tottenham Court Road
London is well-known for its iconic Tube transport system and even that cannot escape the creative and artistic use of mosaic tiling. Restored in 2017, London’s ’most artistic looking’ Tube station is Tottenham Court Road which offers passers by a creative sight while commuting or travelling around the city.
The glass mosaic art was originally completed by Eduardo Paolozzi in 1986 and displayed his interpretation of the local area. As significant renovations were made to the station, the mosaics also went under restoration and conservation work as well. Earlier this year, MyLondon highlighted the incredible mosaic work which can be found at this Tube station.
