London’s buildings are constantly undergoing all manner of transformations. Whether those venues are being repaired and restored to their former glory, or turned into wholly new places (a bar in a bank vault? a Christmas market in a historic hospital?), our city is always evolving. But none have undergone quite as dramatic a transformation as will soon happen to the St Mary-le-Strand church.
That’s because the building will soon morph into a large-scale piece of public art. The temporary artwork transformation, Decades, comes courtesy of acclaimed artist Louise Giovanelli, and will be in place from November 192025 to January 18, 2026. Taking over the south façade of the church, the installation will envelop the landmark building in a shimmering, curtain-like image.
The new piece is part of a collaboration between Create London and Westminster City Council to celebrate the church’s 300th anniversary. The shimmering, translucent display will highlight previously overlooked aspects of the building. It draws attention, for example, to the building’s “two-coloured columns resulting from its decades-long exposure to heavy traffic”.
Image: @stmarylestrand, via IG
The public artwork also draws attention, quite simply, to the building itself. What was once “the tallest and most prominent architectural marker in the area… is now dwarfed by larger, surrounding buildings”. By illuminating the building with the artwork, it will draw attention back to the impressive, historic church. (So, basically, it’s like your best friend who puts on their fanciest clothes every year for their birthday!)
Said Marie Bak Mortensen, Director of Create London:
“We are delighted to be working with Louise Giovanelli and Westminster Council on this commission, which aims to make the familiar unfamiliar, providing a new way of connecting audiences across culture and congregation. A key objective of the commission is to create an exciting and visually stimulating experience for visitors while increasing public knowledge of our built heritage. A heritage that is – like today – richly informed and influenced by cultures beyond our own borders. It also cleverly highlights how climate change and a lack of care pose risks to our built environment and all the rich layers of history it contains.”
🕰️ The St Mary-le-Strand church will be taken over by the Decades artwork from November 19, 2025 to January 18, 2026.
📍 Find it at Strand, London WC2R 1ES. The nearest station is Temple.
