Ripples

For Mayling, For LSE, For Us

The deceased of the great person makes London’s rainy weather mixed with some sorrows. A drop of rain, insignificant yet able to bloom such a ravishing ripple. Dripping of rain droplets composed a hymn that worships the great persons, just like how their spirits are remembered and sung.

The Legacy Garden is for memory Dr. Mayling Birney and LSE staff who have passed away, commissioned by LSE( London School of Economics & Political Science). The aim of the legacy garden is a living, breathing space that invites people to utilize it. By putting a spotlight on their generosity, we hope it serves not only as a place of ornamental value, but as a focal point by which the school openly honors, thanks, and remembers its legators. Also, a place where we can communicate with them spiritually and honor their unique perspectives.

Considering local weather patterns, we fervently hope it will be part of the rainwater recycling system for a sustainable future.

* Dr. Mayling Birney was a professor at LSE in the Department of International Development. Her area of expertise was comparative Chinese politics, and the family is also funding a Global Scholar programme at LSE in her name.

What Remains From Our Lives After Death ?

Worse Than Dying Is Being Forgotten. Although their bodies have perished what is truly immortal is the thought of the pioneers. avant-garde thoughts and spirit have inspired generations of young people, and this is how their lives have continued.

The world is interconnected

There is a connection between everything in this world. It can be as small as dust or as large as outer space. The appearance of everything can be traced to the source.

The emergence of thought stems from the birth of life, the emergence of a family, a school, a society, the cognition he accepts, and his interpretation of the world, including his death. But the appearance of death does not mean the extinction of his thought. The thought will be interpreted and inspired differently by different people and passed down from generation to generation.

We are inspired by London’s wet weather and the ripple effect (a spreading effect or series of consequences caused by a single action or event.)

A single rain droplet is unable to form precipitation, but countless drops can turn into torrential rain, changing people’s lives. Just like every drop of rain cannot be exactly identical, everyone has independent thoughts, but the combination and collision of these thoughts can change the world.

The Ripple Effect

The ripple effect is the notion that a single action has an effect on several different entities. Basically, it is where you make one little change, and it starts to “trickle” into, or affect other parts of your life.

Daily Chance of Precipitation in London

Average Monthly Rainfall in London

The number of rainy days (with more than 0.25mm of rainfall) is fairly consistent throughout the year in London, with between 11 and 15 rainy days every month. Overall rainfall is highest in November and August (64mm and 59mm respectively) and is lowest in March and April (37mm each).

Inverse cone, impacts from different thoughts

Concept

Formation of ripples on water surfaces symbolized how thought creates influenc

Numerous inverse cones, formation of various thoughts, ripples on the water surface symbolized the collision of different thought

Cones come in different sizes shows the variability and dissimilarity of thoughts

Reflective materials enable the students of LSE to reflect and feel sentiment during the process of

Numerous inverse cones, formation of various thoughts, ripples on the water surface symbolized the

Rainwater recycling system for future sustainable development

The team aims to create a series of outdoor installations made of mirror materials. The process of presenting oneself as the materialistic of the thought-every-cone is reminiscent of a sharp and forward thought.

Every matter on Earth requires gravity to achieve stability. But not the case for thoughts, thoughts can exist independently. A pioneer’s thought can stand by itself without any medium or physical infrastructure.

Dr. Mayling Birney’s thinking is progressive. It is one of those sharp breakthroughs to our imprisoned way of thinking, creating significant impacts on the world. The cones are inserted directly into the water and create ripples, symbolizing how every small thought can become a great power. The collisions and extrusions of the ripples are the sparks between different thoughts, brilliant and elegant.

At the same time, We will build a rainwater recycling system at the bottom of the installation and every drop of rainwater will become a reserve force for future sustainable urban development, just like how every student from LSE will be a reserve force for social development.

Everyone in the world is like a raindrop and we should never feel small but proud of ourselves.

Rainwater Recycle

London is a rainy city with frequent showery weather. As an installation located on the rooftop garden, we hope to endow it with the idea of sustainable development. The design of the project intends to construct a rainwater recycling system with cones serving the purpose of rainwater filtering and gathering.

Rainwater Cistern will be placed beneath the rooftop garden to achieve the requirement of flora irrigation in the school.

Why Mirror Materials?

Everyone has independent thought and consciousness. Those cones symbolize the wisdom of the legators, and through them, we see ourselves now, as if we are standing on the shoulders of giants and looking at the world.

The Chorus of Ripples provides a place for meditation. Through the refraction of mirrors from different angles, you will see the world and yourself from different perspectives. This is a process of seeing yourself and exploring the world clearly. There is an old Chinese saying called “one’s mind is as clear as a mirror”, which means observing and perceiving the people and things that appear in front of you thoroughly and understand.

The world is not black and white, economy is not, politics is not, nor is life, everything is multi-angled and multidimensional, which inspires students to have critical thinkings.

Names & Quotes

The names will be engraved on the facade of different cones, as well as some famous quotes from legators to motivate and inspire LSE students. As time goes by, more names will be added and remembered.

For future considerations, each cone can be added as an independent installation in different places in the school, with new names added as well.

Digital Screen

can be also applied on some of the biggest cones for screen display, announcement and events.

The Pathway with Plum Blossom Pattern

When people are walking in the middle of the path, they are like being surrounded by the thoughts of pioneers, getting inspired from them.

The pronunciation of Dr Mayling Birneyand Plum Blossom Forest in Chinese is the same. The road with plum blossom pattern is not only a kind of yearning for Dr Mayling Birney but also a Chinese poem “Plum blossom is from the bitter cold”. Dr Mayling Birney’s persistent perseverance has contributed to the world. Her contribution is worth remembering, and her spirit will be the most immortal. The straight road was paved by the pioneers, but there is still a long way ahead for us to explore. We belive that our future will be brighter with the accompany of their spirits.