On 4th October the Royal Institute of British Architects launches a captivating architecture exhibition at Somerset House, exploring imaginative uses for abandoned spaces across London.
The exhibition will feature 26 of the best proposals from the hugely popular Forgotten Spaces ideas competition, alongside a selection of completed regeneration projects across the Capital.
The exhibition itself opens up some of Somerset House’s own hidden spaces and corridors. It explores the background and context of the competition winners and provides a thought provoking tour of London’s overlooked places. These include proposals for elevated chairs in urban treetop canopies, a zoo in the decommissioned gas holders at Bromley by Bow, an events space on floors 24 – 30 (the satellite platforms) of the iconic BT Tower, a public pool in a disused tube station at Aldwych and the revival of the forgotten River Fleet at St Pancras Gardens. The full shortlist can be viewed on the RIBA London website www.architecture.com/forgottenspaceslondon
From Somerset House’s Great Arch Hall, through the winding Courtyard Lightwells, to the atmospheric Deadhouse, the audience will discover the full story behind each entry.
Designed by architecture practice – Studio Glowacka and communications designers Thomas Matthews, the exhibition draws inspiration from the construction phase of a development project, where the temporary enabling works are the transition between the empty site and the physical reality of the project. Likewise, it is hoped the exhibition will provide the framework and platform for some of these innovative ideas to come to life.
The exhibition will be open to the public daily, 10.00 – 18.00, 4 October – 10 November 2013. Entry is free and accessed via the Great Arch entrance on Victoria Embankment. Check Somerset opening times for full details.
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