A Room for London by David Kohn and Fiona Banner

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Perched on the roof of Queen Elizabeth Hall on the Southbank, A Room for London is an installation by David Kohn Architects and artist Fiona Banner. A design competition was set up by Living Architecture and Artangel, in collaboration with the Southbank Centre to create a temporary room on the hall for two people to spend a unique night on top of a London architectural landmark. As the architects describe; “The proposal is for a boat, perched on the Queen Elizabeth Hall roof, that will appear to have come to rest there, grounded, perhaps, from the retreating waters of the Thames below. The idea evolved from narratives of travel and displacement in literature, in particular Joseph Conrad’s novella ‘Heart of Darkness,’ a story that begins beside the River Thames. The boat takes its name, ‘Roi des Belges’ from the steamboat that Conrad himself captained on the Congo. Visitors to the boat will be invited to create their own narrative by recording their experience on board”. This private, domestic space is anchored onto one of the most public setting’s on the river, in full display to passers-by and other buildings. However, the visitors’ privacy is completely contained within this small wooden boat, creating an unique experience looking over London for anyone who wishes to book out the room.