If you were to wander the streets of Kensington this June you may come across a series of surprising sculptures that conjure up childhood memories while promoting contemporary design. It seems the Museum of Architecture (MoA) have decided to tap into our collective summertime memories for their latest project, Sandcastles. However, these are a long way from the pleasure beaches of Britain’s coastline, they are in fact located in the much more urban locations of Tavistock Road, Duke of York Square and outside the Design Museum.
Drawing on the design prowess of architects vPPR, Asif Khan and Nex Architecture, the MoA have commissioned three very different castles, each one challenging preconceptions of a holiday classic. vPPR has recreated Aldo Rossi’s Lighthouse Theatre, invoking concepts of the seaside but with a dash of drama thrown in. Nex Architecture’s spiraling form draws upon on the shells that have become one of the many materials that make up the square itself. Asif Khan has chosen to invert the idea of a rising tower structure, instead choosing to recreate the stepwell subterranean castle of Chand Baori, a structure originally carved out of stone 1,200 years ago.
This project from MoA represents all that the festival stands for: a publicly accessible installation that delights and brings a wider audience one step closer to the industry.
