sam jacob + MINI LIVING plan 'urban cabin' for london design festival

london design festival (LDF) has announced that MINI LIVING will present an ‘urban cabin’ designed by sam jacob as part of the event’s 15th edition. the micro-dwelling forms a research space for london’s relevant urban needs and various local identities. the structure comprises a shared kitchen and a micro-library where visitors to the space can share and swap literature that focuses on the history of living in the british capital. books range from classic literature such as dickens, keats, and shakespeare to design bestsellers.

‘I’ve always been interested in combinations, juxtapositions and fusions; in how projects can draw on different references and forge alternative possibilities,’ explains sam jacob. ‘often this means bringing apparent opposites together to create unexpected alliances and design languages. the aim is to open up the possibilities of design while also making reference to the world around us.’

the structure comprises a shared kitchen and a micro-library

externally, sam jacob’s design pays homage to london’s tradition of geometric façades. meanwhile, the interior is imagined as a flexible, imaginative space that celebrates british eccentricity. conceived as a ‘place of exchange’, the structure seeks to replicate elements of city living: the communal kitchen refers to the importance of food markets, while the book room responds to the decreasing number of public libraries.

the ‘urban cabin’ will be presented at oxo tower wharf during the london design festival, an event that runs from september 16-24, 2017. oxo tower wharf will also host a variety of exhibitions and events as part of the bankside design district. home to 27 leading design studios and shops across the site, there will be a range of creative events including open studios, product launches, talks and workshops as well as a late night opening on wednesday, september 20th.

the london design festival runs from september 16-24, 2017

‘the mirrored surface of urban cabin is playing with the reflections of its surrounding, while the interior is an interactive space designed to understand and evaluate the personal needs of the london urbanite,’ adds corinna natter, experience designer MINI LIVING. ‘it’s crucial to our design process that we truly understand what makes living in this specific city unique’.

MINI LIVING is a long-term research project by MINI that ‘explores the future of urban habitats based on creative use of space through innovative design’. ‘in an increasingly generic urbanized world, we can use design to turn spaces into useful and significant places for the city; places that offer specific local characteristics and functions to create a unique identity on various experiential layers,’ says oke hauser, creative lead of MINI LIVING.

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