As London Design Festival comes to an end the show continues for some exhibitors, in particular Sabine Marcelis, whose swivelling marble armchairs will remain in situ as a permanent installation in St. Giles Square. Located close to Tottenham Court Road Underground station, the chairs make quite the addition to the area, their faintly brutalist shape complementing the towering Centre Point building which looms above. Created from two blocks stacked together, the chairs can be manoeuvred by members of the public to the aspect desired with the upper carved marble section swivelling on a solid base.
Each chair is made from contrasting colored marble, with yellows and greens, orange and cream, and green and grey paired together in a desire from the designer to contribute a little color and texture to the area. In a central spot paved in grey asphalt and encircled by buildings, Marcelis wanted the natural gradient of the marble in her chairs to provide a balance to the manmade surroundings. Speaking on the project she says, “Deliberately choosing a natural material in a range of colours, I wanted to create a strong contrast with the surrounding architecture and the manmade material palette.
Being an interactive piece, it welcomes audiences to decide how they would like to experience the space. It could encourage strangers to interact with each other, for friends to sit together, or even allow people to create a moment of pause for themselves.” See more of her work on her website.
Photography © Ed Reeve