Children from a local school in Bermondsey, London, have helped design this year’s iconic festive light display at The Shard – Shard Lights – illuminating the top of the building throughout December.

The children were given the chance to help design this year’s Christmas lights display, which sees the top 20 storeys of Western Europe’s tallest building transformed into a vibrant spectacle, visible across the capital. Inspired by iconic images associated with this time of year, the schoolchildren’s designs include a festive tree, a wrapped present and Father Christmas’ hat.

In order to put the designs into practice, the team had to install 552 LED lights from 800ft to 1,016ft, with 8,000 metres of cable – roughly the length of 956 London double-decker buses. Abseiling lighting technicians, the highest workers on a building structure in London, undertook the incredible feat.

“The opportunity for our children to take part in such an iconic event was one that we simply couldn’t pass up. We are always looking for unique ways for our pupils to express themselves creatively, and this provides them with one of the biggest stages to do so. They have worked tirelessly to create a show that the whole of london can enjoy.”

Katherine Wooder - Executive Head Teacher, The Bridges Federation

Shard Lights will run until 30th December with a special finale on the evening of 31st December to celebrate the New Year. The spire will illuminate the city in white as Big Ben signals the start of 2020, before emulating London’s renowned firework display in a unique light show.

For more information about Shard Lights, please visit: www.the-shard.com/shardlights