Largest traffic light sculpture

The ‘Traffic Light Tree’ sculpture by French artist Pierre Vivant measures 8 m (26 ft 2.96 in) high and uses 75 sets of traffic lights, all controlled by a computer. Originally installed in the middle of a roundabout in London’s Canary Wharf district, 1998, the commission was the winner of an international competition organized by the Public Art Commissions Agency. The original intention was for the lights to change in relation to trades on the London Stock Exchange, but this proved too expensive. When first turned on, the sculpture was said to confuse drivers who were unsure as to which of the different coloured lights to follow. However, it soon became very popular, and in 2005 was voted by motorists their favourite roundabout. The sculpture was removed in 2011 and then, following a successful campaign led by local politician Gloria Thienel, reinstalled at a nearby location in 2014. According to Vivant, ‘the sculpture imitates the natural landscape of the adjacent London Plane Trees, while the changing pattern of the lights reveals and reflects the never ending rhythm of the surrounding domestic, financial and commercial activities.’