Sabine Marcelis Adds Swivelling Marble Chairs to Busy London Square
A new permanent fixture amidst a Brutalist backdrop.
Sabine Marcelis is one of those designers who seems to be busier than feasibly possible. Fresh from a huge exhibition in Milan, she’s brought her signature style to the London Design Festival – creating a series of swiveling chairs that will become a permanent fixture on one of the capital’s busiest streets.
Marcelis’ street furniture is one of the festival’s “Landmark Project” commissions and will stay in situ at St Giles Square post-event. It encompasses a series of chairs made from blocks of SolidNature marble – one for the top of the seat and a second for the base, both of different colors. Despite looking immovable and monolithic (like street furniture often does) members of the public can spin their seats around to face whichever direction they want.
“This project, as with most of my work, is a celebration of materials,” Marcelis said. “I wanted to respond to the space by injecting a bit of colour and fun into this urban environment.” The surroundings Marcelis is referencing to is often a place of transition. Commuters arrive in the square via the Tottenham Court Road underground station and head off in another direction. Adding the chairs allows for a moment of contemplation, or simply a place of rest.
She adds:
“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.”
The London Design Festival is currently in full swing, with brands launching collections and producing installations all over the city until September 25. Check out our guide to the event, which includes recommendations of things to see across north, south, east, and west boroughs.
Swivel
Centre Point, St Giles Square
WC2H 8NH
