installations previewed ahead of 2016 london design festival

program of installations previewed ahead of 2016 london design festival
(above) elytra filament pavilion by thomas auer, moritz dörstelmann, jan knippers, and achim menges
all images courtesy of london design festival

the london design festival has announced its program of installations and exhibitions that will take place across the british capital later this year. running from september 17-25, the event forms a citywide celebration that brings together a community of designers, artists, architects, and retailers. this year’s ‘landmark projects’ include a crazy golf course set in trafalgar square, and the ‘elytra filament pavilion’, a temporary structure at the V&A museum that will explore the impact of emerging robotic technologies on architectural design. see more of the planned projects below.

the smile by alison brooks architects

alison brooks architects has designed an urban installation that showcases the structural and spatial potential of cross–laminated hardwood. using american tulipwood, ‘the smile’ is a pavilion that offers a new way of looking at the city. using construction sized panels of hardwood CLT for the first time, brooks’ concept is a 3.5m high and 36m long curved rectangular tube — an efficient structural form, which only touches the ground at one point. at each end, two cantilevers hover above the ground, creating sheltered outdoor spaces.

visionary crazy golf at trafalgar square — paul smith

on april 25, 2016, LDF launched a kickstarter campaign to bring golf to trafalgar square, with holes created by paul smith, the late zaha hadid, tom dixon, camille walala, and atelier bow wow. the campaign aims to raise £120,000 before june 6, 2016. if successful, smith will transform the steps from the national gallery into a series of different colored stripes, topped by a neo-classical clubhouse that mimics the existing museum building. other holes include tom dixon’s, which consists of a funnel and nest of pneumatic tubes; an undulating two level course designed by zaha hadid; and a netted driving range by japanese studio atelier bow-wow. the course will be free for the public to play.

visionary crazy golf at trafalgar square — camille walala

visionary crazy golf at trafalgar square — zaha hadid

visionary crazy golf at trafalgar square — tom dixon

baboushka boxes by dRMM

another highlight sees architecture firm dRMM address the housing crisis through an experiential scheme. stacked like an inhabited sculpture, a series of living boxes can be re-arranged to suit individual or communal needs. the interiors are furnished, colored or projected onto, forming a range of different spaces. ‘the main idea of the installation is to use our most modern material, engineered timber, to speculate on the nature and needs of current society and future living,’ says alex de rijke of dRMM.

the green room by glithero

italian luxury watch maker panerai is collaborating with glithero, a london-based design duo known for creating time-based mechanical installations. the ‘green room’ at the V&A will be located inside a museum stairwell, where light streaming in from above is intended to create a cinematic experience. the space will be delineated by veils of colorful strings, creating an optical effect. these threads will be lifted and then dropped by a motorized revolving cam arm, prompting visitors to methodically travel through the immersive installation.

london design festival identity by pentagram