A Whole Lot of Intervention Going On

When we walked to the Victoria and Albert Museum we thought we'd see this.

Instead we saw this:

and this:

Inhabitat has the story here.   208 recycled traffic safety cones were painted white with a reflective band wrapped around each one to catch the elusive London sun.  Placed in a webbing of stainless steel they shelter visitors from showers in a way that almost makes you feel as though you're standing under a giant chandelier.

  

Thomas Heatherwick, the designer of this canopy/marquee for the Victoria and Albert Museum is famous for the Olympic cauldron featured in the Opening Ceremonies last summer

204 separate torches of burnished copper joined together to represent the participating nations in a giant moving sculpture which looked especially spectacular at night:

Mr. Heatherwick also designed this London bus:

Dezeen has an interview with Mr. Heatherwick here.  Far and away the best design idea of 2012 the bus is also 40% more fuel efficient because it features three doors with easier access for wheelchairs and baby strollers as well as two staircases to make getting on and off much quicker, thereby shortening idling times.