Vancouverism on Exhibition

"As incongruous as a skyscraper in Stanley Park, an undulating 60-metre-long, eight-metre-high high-tech "wave" of sustainably-harvested B.C. cedar wood was unveiled Monday amid a sea of ancient grey stone engulfing one of London's most photographed landmarks.

Part of the prestigious 2008 London Festival of Architecture (LFA), the serpentine sculpture by celebrated Vancouver architect Bing Thom was already intriguing London commuters as it cantilevered over a stretch of sidewalk flanking Trafalgar Square.

"Looks like Nelson has a bit of competition," said Marie Kidwell, a property developer from west London, referring to the world-famous column in the centre of the square. "It is really imposing. I think it looks a bit like chunky chips (fries) stacked on top of each other. The wood is really beautiful; you certainly don't see much of that in London.""