Glass 'hotel' gives plinth a splash of colour

But not any more. With the unveiling of the latest artwork to grace the fourth plinth, the once-monochrome square today became - in one corner at least - awash with colour.

The sculpture - a glass model of a 21-storey hotel in vivid red, green, yellow and blue - is by the German artist Thomas Sch¸tte.

Entitled Model for a Hotel 2007, it replaces Marc Quinn's sculpture of the disabled artist Alison Lapper when she was pregnant.

Sch¸tte, 52, was originally going to call it Hotel For The Birds, but changed his mind - perhaps out of concern that such a title would act as an open invitation to the pigeons. As it is, the piece - like the Quinn sculpture - will have to be cleaned of pigeon droppings on a regular basis.

Made of thick glass with thin sheets of coloured plastic between them, the eight-ton piece is designed to collect and reflect the light and is described as " multilayered, mysterious and sparkling like a bright jewel".

It was delayed by seven months and came in over budget - the final cost was £270,000 - partly due to months of research to ensure the glass would be able to withstand the London weather.

Ken Livingstone said: "The use of colour will provide a striking contrast to its surroundings."

The sculpture is the fifth artwork to grace the fourth plinth, which remained empty after it was built in 1841 because of insufficient funds to display the planned equestrian statue.

In 1998 the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce commissioned three works to be displayed temporarily on the plinth.

They were so successful that the project was continued.

The Mayor took over responsibility for the plinth and Alison Lapper Pregnant was taken down last month after two years.