HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

"The area occupied by the exhibition site had been marshy land and only developed after the Second World War. This redevelopment comprised three major impacts-improvements to Waterloo railway station, a new Waterloo Bridge and the construction of the LCC County Hall-creating a triangle into which the South Bank Exhibition was slotted.

The Dome of Discovery and the Skylon were two notable attractions, but the one building to remain is the Royal Festival Hall.

The earliest photograph taken in 1958, shows the river frontage between the Royal Festival Hall on the left and the County Hall on the right. The huge gap between these two buildings was the site of the Southbank Exhibition. This gap came to be filled by the Shell Building and other offices. It was completed by 1963 and was one of the first tall office blocks to be built in London with a height of 350ft.

The London Eye is much higher than the Shell Building and, at 450 feet tall, it was the third highest structure in London when it was opened.

The Shot Tower, 120 ft tall, had been a London landmark since its construction in 1826. Its purpose was the production of shot from lead.

During the Festival of Britain it was converted into a lighthouse that flashed from sunset until the Exhibition closing time. The Shot Tower was demolished to provide room for the new buildings when the South Bank Arts centre was extended in the early 1960s."

Thurman, Chris. (2003) London´s River:Westminster to Woolwich. London:Tempus Publishing