Installing Crossrail's Largest Artwork

WORKS to install a 120 metre (290-foot) glass canopy above the new ticket hall to the west of London's Paddington station have begun. 

Far from being an ordinary canopy, its 220 glass panels comprise one of London’s largest public artworks - a painting of 25 different types of clouds by American artist Spencer Finch.

The new ticket hall forms part of London's vast Crossrail programme; Europe's largest construction project. 

Above: An impression of the new canopy at the Elizabeth Line's Paddington station. It features a painting of different clouds and will be visible from the ticket hall, as seen below (images courtesy of Crossrail).

Named “Cloud Index”, Finch’s artwork was first drawn using pastels on paper, before being digitally transposed and printed onto glass.

It covers the entrance escalators into the ticket hall below and will be visible to the 25 million passengers that are projected to use the station entrance each year.

Above: One of the 220 glass panes is being positioned (image courtesy of Crossrail).

The artist was selected by The Crossrail Art Foundation with the support of Lisson Gallery. The artwork itself is being paid for by Heathrow Airport and the Corporation of London, and does not form a part of Crossrail’s £14.8BN budget.

Above: Paddington is one of the six centrally-located Elizabeth Line stations that will feature large scale artworks (image courtesy Crossrail).

Other large scale artworks, all by different artists, will also be installed at Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road, Farringdon, Liverpool Street and Canary Wharf stations. 

The central section of the new Elizabeth Line, delivered by Crossrail, is due to become operational in December 2018.

Don't miss our exclusive interview with Crossrail's CEO Andrew Wolstenholme OBE.