Beyond the Buckets and Spades: The Humanise Campaign. Sand sculptures in Morecambe
Morecambe Bay is famous for its stunning sunsets, panoramic views of the Lake District, and its enduring seaside charm. But this summer, it played host to a different kind of artistic installation—one that made us stop and think about the very buildings that shape our towns and cities. I’m talking about the “Bland Castles” created as part of the Humanise campaign. We created giant sand sculptures in Morecambe.
We built a city of super-sized, super-bland sand castles in one day, using nothing but sand, water, and hard work – all to protest about the bland buildings making us unhealthy, unhappy, and disconnected.
Beach sand sculpture is often the hardest to create as the sand isn’t usually as strong as building sand, so when it dries it can crumble and fall. Beach sand sculpture takes a lot of shovelling, collecting water from the sea and speed to get it all done in one day!
On a single day, the vast sands of Morecambe Bay were transformed into a deliberately bleak cityscape. We with the help of the incredible team at Humanise, sculpted towering, lifeless blocks—buildings stripped of any personality, detail, or joy. These “Bland Castles” were a stark, sandy metaphor for the “blandemic” of uninspired architecture that is sweeping across the world.
The project wasn’t just about creating something soulless, however. It was a powerful, playful protest with a point to prove. Right next to these depressing sand blocks, the public was invited to build their own sandcastles. And what a contrast it was! Children and adults alike, armed with shells, flags, and their imaginations, crafted structures full of personality, whimsy, and life. These spontaneous creations, with their intricate details and joyful designs, were a living testament to what people truly desire in their built environment.
Thomas Heatherwick, the designer behind the campaign, put it perfectly: “Taking the beautifully simple act of building sandcastles on a beach yet making them boring and soulless… That’s what’s been happening in our towns and cities for far too long.” The event in Morecambe wasn’t just a quirky art installation; it was a conversation starter, a physical manifestation of the argument that our surroundings have a profound effect on our well-being.
Morecambe, with its rich history of architectural styles—from the Art Deco elegance of the Midland Hotel to the Victorian grandeur of the Winter Gardens—was the perfect backdrop for this campaign. The “Bland Castles” highlighted the importance of preserving this architectural heritage and, more importantly, of building with purpose and humanity in the future.
This “playful protest” serves as a crucial reminder. It’s not just architects and developers who should have a say in our urban spaces. The Humanise campaign is a call to action for all of us. It reminds us that we are not passive inhabitants of our towns; we are co-creators. We need buildings that uplift us, inspire us, and reflect the very human need for complexity, detail, and joy.
So, the next time you’re on a beach, think about the kind of sandcastle you’d build. Would it be a soulless block or a joyful, human creation? The answer says a lot about what we should be demanding for our real-life castles, and what a fantastic place to start that conversation than on the sands of Morecambe Bay.
A big thank you to the Humanise team, Sophie Lucas, Peter and Paul, Anita Morris Associates and Lee Davies, to name but a few. It was hard work but the results more than made up for it and we are very proud to have been part of such a great campaign.
