€2.3M Dutch-designed attraction in London closes just days after opening

A new London attraction, designed by Dutch architectural firm MVRDV, has temporarily closed shortly after opening, after receiving much criticism from the visitors.

March Arch Hill promised panoramic views over London’s Oxford Street and Hyde Park — but since its opening on July 26, visitors have relegated it to a ‘mound of dirt’.

Bringing life back to Oxford street

The 25-metre-tall temporary attraction was supposed to bring life back to Europe’s busiest shopping street, which was hit hard by the number of lockdowns. 

The vision of MVRDV was that the hill would “redefine the connection between Oxford Street and Hyde Park” and create an opportunity for residents to experience nature in the city centre.

Disappointment

However, so far it’s brought nothing but disappointment. Visitors felt that the attraction looked like a construction site, looked unfinished, and was nothing like the original designs, reports the NOS.

People who have already booked their £4.50 ticket (Є5.30 — a bit of a rip-off if you ask us considering it’s a short walk up a hill) for the first week of opening will be offered a replacement ticket free of charge, states the Westminster City Council.

“We are aware that elements of the Marble Arch Mound are not yet ready for visitors. We are working hard to resolve this over the next few days,” the council wrote in a statement. 

Needs time

The architectural firm MVRDV, which is known for Rotterdam’s famous Markthal, as well as the newly built Depot of Museums Boijmans van Beuningen, has been defending the project. 

According to a spokesperson, the attraction was opened too soon. “It’s always unpredictable when you work with plants and trees. We need to give nature some time,” they said.

Have you heard of this attraction? Do you think it was worth the investment? Let us know in the comments below!

Feature Image: Dan Barker/Twitter

Jana Vondráčková 🇨🇿
Jana Vondráčková 🇨🇿
Originally from the Czech Republic, Jana moved to the Netherlands for her studies. She fell in love with the local biking culture, and you’ll see her drifting through the streets of Rotterdam on her pink bike even in the worst possible weather (think rain, snow, hail, or all three). Besides advocating for Rotterdam as the best Dutch city, she likes to wander around with a camera in her hand.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Related posts

Latest posts

Where are the ‘I amsterdam’ letters? The complete selfie guide

Here's a riddle for you: what weighs 250 kilos, is two metres high, and features in around 6,000 selfies a day? The I amsterdam...

Dutch companies are “selling” residence permits via the highly skilled migrant scheme

The Netherlands employs its so-called Kennismigranten (highly skilled migrants) in many sectors, from IT to academia to... nail salons, apparently. Yup, according to research by...

Expats may soon have to take an integration course when living in Amsterdam

If you're an expat living in Amsterdam, you could soon be asked to take Dutch language classes, history lessons, and volunteer time. That's right,...

It's happening

Upcoming events

The latest Dutch news.
In your inbox.