Cities around the globe have begun to embrace their unused or abandoned waterfront in new and different ways. Take Chicago’s long-underway riverwalk project, slated for completion later this year, which links the city's downtown and lakefront area. Or New York’s now-famous Dry Line, an unbuilt design—proposed by Bjarke Ingels Group in the wake of Hurricane Sandy—that would build a protective ring of parks around lower Manhattan. Earlier this year, London sought to enhance its own famous waterway, launching “The Illuminated River,” a competition that challenged architects and designers to light up the Thames and its 17 bridges.

Earlier this week, the city of London announced the project’s six shortlisted concepts, among them proposals by Diller Scofidio + Renfro , architect David Adjaye , and artist Leo Villareal. The designs explore the connection of light and space, each masterfully manipulating both to stunning effect. The jury, which includes light artist James Turrell and Serpentine Gallery director Julia Peyton-Jones, will announce the winner on December 8, and the selected project will begin construction in 2018.

DS+R's proposal for lighting along the Thames.

For those passing through London, the city is showcasing the designs in a public exhibition at the Royal Festival Hall, open through the end of the month. illuminatedriver.london