A Rippling Townhouse Facade by Alex Chinneck Takes a Seat in a London Square

It takes a real knack for design to make something as hefty and industrial as steel and bricks appear weightless or even playful. But British artist Alex Chinneck (previously) is no stranger to monumental projects that reimagine urban infrastructure and buildings into striking public installations.

As part of London’s Clerkenwell Design Week, Chinneck unveiled “A week at the knees,” a new sculpture in Charterhouse Square that takes its cue from an iconic predecessor. The artist installed the “From the Knees of my Nose to the Belly of my Toes” in 2013 on a dilapidated townhouse in Margate, appearing as though the entire front of the building had simply slid right off. On view through June in London, his new work boasts a frame made from 320 meters of repurposed steel and 7,000 bricks.

“A week at the knees” playfully anthropomorphizes a classic Georgian facade, with its lower two levels rippling over a pathway as if seated in the park with its knees up. London is famous for its green squares and gardens, and Chinneck’s work invites visitors to pass through a unique portal that calls upon the history of its surroundings, complete with downspout and lamps flanking the arched front door.

Chinneck fabricated the sculpture in collaboration with numerous British companies to source and create bespoke steel beams, curving windows, and bricks. At five meters tall and weighing 12 tons, the piece mimics a life-size building while sporting a thickness of only 15 centimeters. The effect lends itself to the experience of a hefty, architectonic structure with a graceful, lightweight personality.

Explore more on Chinneck’s website and Instagram.

a detail of a public artwork resembling a curving brick townhouse facade
a public art piece in a a park featuring the facade of a London townhouse that appears to sit on the ground with its knees up
a detail of a public artwork resembling a curving brick townhouse facade
a detail of a public artwork resembling a curving brick townhouse facade
people walk beneath a public artwork resembling a curving brick townhouse facade
a detail of a public artwork resembling a curving brick townhouse facade

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The article A Rippling Townhouse Facade by Alex Chinneck Takes a Seat in a London Square appeared first on Colossal.

©

Related Posts

Front facade of the Atri A-frame greenhouse home in Vänersborg, Sweden. Front facade of the Atri A-frame greenhouse home in Vänersborg, Sweden.
A-Frame Greenhouse Home Brings a Mediterranean Growing...
If you could bring a mild, temperate growing climate with...
Read more
wear this there: soho diner nyc / sfgirlbybaywear this there: soho diner nyc / sfgirlbybay
wear this there: soho diner.
who’s craving a bit of comfort food, hmmm? i could...
Read more
A Rippling Townhouse Facade by Alex Chinneck Takes a Seat in a London SquareA Rippling Townhouse Facade by Alex Chinneck Takes a Seat in a London Square
My Lifelines of 2024: The Devices That...
Happy New Year! As we wrap up 2024, I wanted...
Read more
Ana Smud Arevalo Rooftop Apartment Extension Buenos Aires Architecture Photo Javier Agustin Rojas Yellowtrace 32Ana Smud Arevalo Rooftop Apartment Extension Buenos Aires Architecture Photo Javier Agustin Rojas Yellowtrace 32
Arevalo Rooftop Apartment Extension in Buenos Aires...
  Like a forest refuge in the sky, Ana Smud has...
Read more
A Rippling Townhouse Facade by Alex Chinneck Takes a Seat in a London SquareA Rippling Townhouse Facade by Alex Chinneck Takes a Seat in a London Square
Why buy WoW Cataclysm Gold
Buying gold in World of Warcraft: Cataclysm can be seen...
Read more
A Rippling Townhouse Facade by Alex Chinneck Takes a Seat in a London SquareA Rippling Townhouse Facade by Alex Chinneck Takes a Seat in a London Square
The case for design freedom in bathroom...
Bathrooms are increasingly becoming one of the most important areas...
Read more