• BBC 21CC Tides and Times 2009

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Three architect-designed pods containing river-themed audio and visual material made by children. The project explores the historical, ecological, geographical and social elements of what makes the river special and such an iconic image of London. It aims to encourage young people and the general public to engage with the river that runs through the heart of the city, re-discovering the institutions along its banks.

BBC 21CC united 15 primary schools and 17 of the key attractions along the River Thames path, from Kew Bridge Steam Museum in the west to the Thames Barrier Education and Learning Centre in the east, working with them to create multimedia content - animations, films, podcasts and radio dramas - in response to facilitated workshops at the attractions.

Working in partnership with RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects) London, BBC 21CC united a further 4 primary schools, 4 architects practices and 3 Thameside institutions to design 3 audiovisual pods to house the content, as well as a walking route to connect the pods.

The pods were inspired by their locations at Southwark Cathedral, London Bridge, Somerset House and Southbank Centre, and by the children's view of the Thames. The pods and the walking route combined allow the pupils, their families, friends and the general public to take a physical journey along the river whilst also viewing it through the eyes of the young people involved in the project.

The Tides and Times exhibition will be accessible to all, free-of-charge, during Summer 2009, culminating in the Mayor's Thames Festival weekend on 12 & 13 September.

RIBA London's pod construction has been supported by The National Lottery through Arts Council England.

To see the content made by the children, downloadable maps of the walking route and a documentary about the project follow this link.

The design process undertaken by the architects and children for all 3 pods can be viewed here.

Architect teams appointed to design the pods and the connecting walking route: Alsop pod design at Somerset House; Amenity Space pod design at Southwark Cathedral; SCABAL for the walking route; Urban Salon pod design at Southbank Centre.

Attractions that worked with young people to create multimedia content: Churchill Museum and Cabinet War Rooms; Hampton Court Palace, Historic Royal Palaces; HMS Belfast, A Branch of the Imperial War Museum; Kew Bridge Steam Museum; Museum of London Docklands; Royal Observatory Greenwich; SCABAL; Shakespeare's Globe; Southwark Cathedral, London Bridge; St. Paul's Cathedral; Thames Barrier Information and Learning Centre; The Golden Hinde; The Greenwich Foundation for the Old Royal Naval College; The London Eye; The National Archives; The Royal National Lifeboat Institution; The Sea Life London Aquarium; The Tower of London, Historic Royal Palaces; WWT London Wetland Centre.

21CC is the BBC's digital learning centre dedicated to exploring creative ways of using multimedia and new technology in teaching and learning.

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