'Bland Castles' have been built on a Morecambe beach to put the spotlight on a growing epidemic of boring buildings.
A group of sand artists created a city of ‘Bland Castles’, ranging up to 3m high.
The one-day takeover on Morecambe South beach on Wednesday, by the Humanise campaign, aims to draw national attention to uninspired, soulless buildings across the world.
As part of the playful protest, beachgoers were invited to create and decorate their own sand-sculpted buildings to show how, when the public have a say, they can’t help but build something more joyful.
“The Humanise campaign’s ‘Bland Castles’ beach takeover is a poignant idea, because it’s both powerful and also very playful," said Thomas Heatherwick, campaigner and designer.
Taking the beautifully simple act of building sandcastles on a beach yet making them boring and soulless.
"That’s what’s been happening in our towns and cities for far too long. The places where we live, that are meant to lift us up, are instead bringing us down.
"But just look at what’s happening at Morecambe Bay when the public are invited to be involved. 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.”
Abigail Scott Paul, Global Head of the Humanise Campaign, said: “Our surroundings shape how we feel – and it’s clear that people don’t want bland! By bringing our campaign to the beach, we’re hoping to inspire everyone to build with joy, and to involve people who might have felt locked out of conversations about the buildings in their communities.
"We’re inviting everyone to join the campaign to humanise the buildings in our towns and cities – whether you're a local campaigner, a lover of good design, or just someone who cares what their town or city looks and feels like.”
The event in Morecambe was originally scheduled to take place on Monday but was delayed due to the strong winds brought by Storm Floris.
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