in Weird & Wonderful at in Southbank Centre

1 Jan - 31 Dec 2012

London's rolling skyline accommodates an unusual embellishment in 2012: a rickety boat moored atop the Southbank Centre. It's actually the result of 'A Design for London', a competition to design a temporary residence for the Olympic year. 

The 'A Design for London' competition was instigated by Living Architecture and Artangel, in assocation with the Southbank Centre. The opportunity to create a new London landmark, albeit a temporary one, was grasped by some 500 architects and artists from around the world, with David Kohn Architects and the artist Fiona Banner eventually crowned the winners.

The winning design is called 'Roi des Belges' and its development evolved from narratives about travel and displacement in literature, in particular Joseph Conrad's novella Heart of Darkness, which begins beside the River Thames. Visitors to the boat have the opportunity to add to the structure's narrative by recording their experience on board. 

A rather unique accommodation for London, the boat has generated a lot of interest. To investigate your chance of booking a night's stay visit the Living Architecture website.

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