The Greenwich Meridian

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Located roughly 50 m to the west of the Airy Meridian, this work from Malcolm Robertson was specially commissioned to form a focal point at the northern end of Stratford Interchange.

The Public Monument and Sculpture Association records that ‘Robertson conceived “Time Spiral” around the theme of travel: Stratford as a destination for migration and settlement. His original proposal was for a spiral tower, with the potential for integrating a fully functional clock into the design, but essentially to create a structure wherein “curved walls sweep in towards a central point from all directions and amalgamate to form a unified spiral structure that acts as a beacon to continuously draw the spectator's attention upwards and outwards. The beacons draw their energy from the surrounding area and combine forces to produce a strong visual landmark of dynamic unity”. The proposal was modified slightly along the way, making the incorporation of the clock more central to the piece. The originally proposed seating around the base of the sculpture was replaced with terrazzo panel/mosaic designs showing the points of the compass and signs of the zodiac, emphasising the themes of travel, time and transport.’

The Time Spiral was removed in 2010 to make way for the construction of the pedestrian access to the new Westfield Centre. Planning permission to re-erect it near Maryland Station was granted in October 2009.

By what is assumed to be a coincidence, the Stratford Centre just across the way has its western edge aligned almost exactly to the Airy Meridian.