Roald Dahl Shed at the Royal Festival Hall

A Design/Build retail display 'shed' project to accompany the new Roald Dahl exhibition at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre. I was asked to build something inspired by Dahl's own workspace/shed but not to replicate it, using new and reclaimed elements i built a large open framed shed structure using only a few key shed details. here are a few work-in-progress photos...

above: the metal framed Crittall window similar to the one in Dahl's own shed was salvaged from a huge pile of fly-tipping in Margate

...work in progress photos, frame combines hanging rails, shelves, hooks, walls

above: the staggered wooden shelves were made from floorboards salvaged from a property in Sandwich, fixed to the white painted framework with very basic diy shelf brackets, classic shed chic.

below: the roof sections, painted cladding sanded and cleaned up, originally salvaged from the scenic railway at Dreamland, Margate

 below: i found a 1930's door identical to the one on Dahl's shed but it was just too heavy for the structure so i made up a simple tongue and groove shed door and fitted a vintage door handle with display hook to the inside...

 ...hopefully i'll get to see the exhibition soon

Shed Project at the National Maritime Museum

I was asked to design/build a series of 'shed' structures for the retail space to accompany the Samuel Pepys: Plague, Fire, Revolution exhibition at the National Maritime Museum. Here are a few work-in-progess pictures from the project...

above: my workshop ceiling height wasn't tall enough for this project so i had to make everything as a giant jigsaw. three main structures, red, white and grey.

...delivery day, spot the van

above and below: some images of the structures in place before product placement, the third grey structure is out of shot around the back of the lift...

designed as simple frames with window and door details for people to wander through with build in hanging rails, shelves and free standing tables

 below: a detail picture with some product in place, fire of London buckets and ladders...

Hand Made Tales (last nights opening)

a few mobile phone pictures of last nights show at the womens library, i'll add new pictures of the displays and display cabinets soon...

Hand Made Tales at The Womens Library

I've been working for the past couple of weeks on a new exhibition of 'Women & Domestic Crafts' at The Womens Library for Julia Schüler at MUF Architects. The exhibition opens Wednesday 27th 6.30pm and continues for six months!
it's been a good project to work on, Julia gave me a lot of freedom working with her on the design and construction. The Womens Library main exhibition hall was a challenge due to the limitations on what you can and can not do and the large number of exhibits, often with unknown sizes and strict handling conditions did cause a few problems but its been a lot of fun working fast and finding solutions with a open minded client and as always - i've managed to cram in a ton of salvaged materials, timber and drawers.
the exhibition design had to work with existing display cabinets, wall and floor surfaces in the gallery whilst introducing a selection of classic domestic elements; bedroom mirrors, drawers, floorboards, crafts tools etc. a number of displays have been made including one with the 'Pearly Queen of Shoreditch' (c.1920s) classic buttoned outfit on loan from the Museum of London. seating and display areas from reclaimed floorboards & plywood hoardings, display cabinet console tables from antique and vintage domestic drawers with dining table and grand piano legs. very happy to have used some of the salvaged elements that i've been storing at the back of the warehouse for years.

Wednesday evening: Start at The Women's Library and then go onto the 'Gropes' Launch at Look Mum No Hands. then eat. done.

Exhibition photos coming soon...

Ally Capellino at Pitti Immagine Uomo by Rupert Blanchard

About 10 days ago Ally asked me to design, build and install an exhibition space that she had been invited to show in at Pitti Immagine Uomo in Florence.
The design above was presented as a scaled down version of her recent major retrospective at The Wapping Project in London. Most of the elements used in the design are made from recycled materials. The entire stand fits into approx' 1.8M2(cubic) combining a wall-o-bags (from the 30 years archive), mini ally history, film and selected pieces from her new collection. Almost everything was designed to fit into recycled plywood boxes that transform into the stand with an extra display case box and bench seating box (not in drawing above). It was great to work with some new signage for ally as well - deep edge-on plywood letters.
Everything arrived on time in Florence today and installed fairly easy in the boiling hot Italian weather, The overall design still needs a little more work and work on the lighting before the show opens tomorrow morning. If anyone is in Florence please come along to see us!
The following pictures show the build of the stand- it ended up looking something like the drawing but everything is always rather flexible, i'll try to take some better photos tomorrow when i have more time...

 

and some details photos, the display cabinet box and the bench seat box, both were used to ship goods to the show...

 

the shipping boxes made from shuttering plywood with wheels and cut out handles...

 

plywood typography...

last chance to see...

 

this weekend is the last chance to see '30 Years of Ally Capellino' at The Wapping Project ...closing this sunday.

(Photograph by Akira Chatani)

Last Chance To See... 30 Years of Ally Capellino : Texture Study / Scrap Doors

This is the last week to see the 30 Years of Ally Capellino retrospective exhibition at the Wapping Project. it is very likely that when i take down the exhibition many of the scrap doors used in the central space might break up and not every door will be reusable, hence i've taken some pictures of details, mouldings, paint-wear the joints in the doors. all of the doors used were 'scrap' reclaimed doors, some as old as late victorian but mostly 1930s. hopefully i'm going to be able to salvage enough doors to build a tree house over summer.

30 Years of Ally Capellino at The Wapping Project. Design & Build by Rupert Blanchard