The Crystal

18th March 2013

London’s world class transport system under threat from austerity

A new report “World Class? London’s Transport: Progress and Future Challenges”, one of the most comprehensive recent studies of London’s transport system, has concluded that despite room for improvement in air pollution, cycling safety, climate change, public transport fares and allocation of road space, London’s transport sys-tem is world class. However, the report warns that funding must be found to secure and build on improvements and to tackle the future challenges the system faces due to growing demand for transport in the Capital.

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9th February 2013

The Crystal welcomes its 50,000th visitor

The Crystal - a Sustainable Cities Initiative by Siemens - has attracted its 50,000th visitor to the exhibition since it opened seven months ago.

Jo Wajada was visiting the Crystal with her husband and his parents, whilst on holiday from Poland over Easter. The family came to the Crystal after reading about the building and its exhibition on the internet. To mark the occasion, the family was presented with an engraved '50,000th visitor' glass trophy and a bottle of champagne. Jo Wajada said: “The exhibition is really interesting and we are looking forward to learning more about sustainability. We're thrilled to be the 50,000th visitors at the Crystal.”

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17th January 2013

Siemens and London Underground link-up to celebrate anniversary year

2013 is already proving a momentous year for engineering organisation Siemens and London Underground. In the year that Siemens celebrates 170 years presence in the UK, the company is also a principal sponsor of London Underground’s celebrations to mark the 150th anniversary of the Tube.

A year-long schedule of events, activities, seminars and open-days kicked-off at the weekend (Sunday, 13th January) with heritage steam train runs recreating the very first passenger journey that took place on the Metropolitan line in 1863. All the events taking place in 2013 will explore the Tube's history and look at the role it will play in the future - both in the lives of Londoners and the economy of the City and broader UK.

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26th September 2012

Siemens opens the Crystal to the public on Saturday 29th September - The Crystal hosts the world’s largest exhibition on the future of cities

London, 26 September 2012 – the Crystal - a Sustainable Cities Initiative by Siemens, will open to the public as part of the Newham Waterfront Festival on Saturday 29th September.

The uniquely shaped, glass-clad structure is London’s newest landmark and encompasses an area of more than 6,300 square metres. Inside is the world’s largest exhibition on the future of cities covering 2,000 square metres. The high-tech exhibition is fully interactive with two immersive film theatres and more than 50 screens with a host of games and experiences that help visitors explore the cities of the future. Highlights include a Tesla coil in the ‘Go Electric’ area where visitors can ‘create electricity’ by moving their bodies. Another exhibit in the ‘Creating Cities’ space allows visitors to be the Mayor of a city and working with other ‘city experts’ you can make decisions on how your city looks and works. Electric cars, an electric motorbike and bicycle are featured in the transport section and the exhibition concludes with ‘Future Life’ a vision of what cities might look like in 2050 on a 10 metre film screen.

The exhibition has been designed in conjunction with the UK national curriculum and the content was mapped to Key Stage 3 (age eleven to fourteen) and upwards. The Crystal is a science-based attraction showcasing the best in the world’s technological advances and welcomes visits from school and college groups from around the UK and abroad.

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19 September 2012

Siemens opens the Crystal in London - World’s largest exhibition dedicated to the future of cities

London, 19 September 2012 – The Crystal - a Sustainable Cities Initiative by Siemens, has today opened in London. The uniquely shaped, glass-clad structure encompasses an area of more than 6,300 square metres. It will serve as a conference centre, urban dialogue platform and technology and innovation centre. The Crystal is designed to achieve top scores on the BREEAM and LEED international assessments for energy-efficient buildings.

The Crystal represents an investment of approximately £30 million by Siemens and is the flagship of Siemens’ Infrastructure and Cities Sector. The structure will be home to Siemens’ global Center of Competence Cities, a team of multi-disciplinary urban experts, who aim to encourage the growth of sustainable cities through partnerships, research and expert collaboration on solutions.

Inside the Crystal is the world’s largest exhibition on the future of cities covering 2,000 square metres. The interactive exhibition will guide visitors through the urban infrastructure of the future, focusing on possibilities for sustainable mobility, building technologies, power and water supplies, and healthcare.

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