Makery

Destroy the BBC Tower digitally

The BBC TV Tower, emblematic building in London to be demolished, was modeled in 3D by the artist Alan Warburton. © Alan Warburton

For White Noise magazine, destruction is creative. Since May 2016, the art and architecture magazine organizes residencies around the East Tower of the former BBC television center in White City, closed in 2013 and the demolition of which should begin this month.

The British magazine issued a call in May for a residence in the top floors of the tower. Some 360 applications later, the organizers selected 8 projects from 9 artists to occupy the empty premises and “destroy them in a creative manner”. In the shortlist, the group of intellectuals and artists 5×15, the sound artist Hannah Dargavel-Leafe in a duo with 4D cinema specialist Jack West, the ceramicist James Rigler or the special effects specialist Alan Warburton. The artist, a 3D modeling enthusiast, with extremely precise work that lasted four weeks, replicated the whole tower down to the smallest details. “Many details could be duplicated for each floor, but unfortunately the layout of each floor being totally different, were no possible shortcuts,” explains Alan Warburton. 

The BBC East Tower, modeled by Alan Warburton. © Alan Warburton

From this project, White Noise is continuing its initiative of creative destruction. In a new call for project from February 16, the magazine’s team invites you to take hold of Warburton’s 3D modeled files, available for free and downloaded almost 16,000 times, to create short animations to represent the tower’s demolition in a “surreal and surprising” manner. “Melting structures, stomped by a T-Rex or butterfly explosions: there are no rules here, except creating a truly  DIY and inventive destruction.”

Detailed even down to the position of the power sockets. © Alan Warburton

Three projects will be selected. The finalists will receive £150 (around €176) to realize and publish their animation on White Noise

The call for project “Destroy This Tower” from “White Noise”

Download Alan Warbuton’s BBC Tower 3D model