Alice Theodorou

Mayor Boris Johnson’s recent abuse of his planning power is an insult to what proclaims to be a democratic system. His habit of overturning the decisions of local authorities to grant permission for numerous unpopular developments has set a worrying precedent for London's future. As the capital continues to undergo widespread redevelopment as a result of the long-anticipated Crossrail link, the need to question the short-term, financially driven strategies employed by developers has become of paramount importance.

'The future will just have to wait' explores an alternative scenario for the controversial Mount Pleasant site in Farringdon. In stark contrast to the current consented scheme, this alternative proposal has been considered in the context of a 10,000-year master plan. This prolonged construction sequence aims to promote long-term thinking in the planning and development of our cities by existing as a constant reference point within the ever-changing urban fabric. By anticipating the challenges that London will face over the next 10,000 years (including population growth and then decline, rising sea levels, stricter energy targets, future space exploration and language obsolescence), the building addresses generational-scale questions and sets the agenda for the sustainable growth. To ensure its own longevity, the building utilises a series of caryatids and atlantes as its structural support, exhibiting the evolution of the human form as a constant reminder of our own temporality.