A Room for London

Artists, writers and some lucky members of the public will spend a night perched on top of Queen Elizabeth Hall in A Room for London, the Southbank Centre's unique art installation-cum-hotel.

A Room for London at Southbank Centre

A Room for London began life as a design competition. The brief was to create a temporary installation on top of a London landmark, where two people could spend the night.

The design contest attracted more than 500 entries but was won by David Kohn Architects and artist Fiona Banner. Their winning boat design will sit on top of the Queen Elizabeth Hall at the Southbank Centre for the whole of 2012.

David Kohn Architects and Fiona Banner's Winning Design

Kohn and Banner's timber boat design for A Room for London will have an upper and lower deck, not to mention amazing views of the River Thames, Big Ben and St Paul's Cathedral.

A nautical flag will be raised when the boat is occupied, and there will be a logbook for visitors to record their experiences.

Previously, David Kohn Architects has created a rooftop pavilion for the Architecture Foundation, a temporary restaurant for the Royal Academy of Arts and a contemporary art gallery in the West End.

Fiona Banner recently exhibited her installation Harrier and Jaguar, featuring two fighter planes, in the central atrium of Tate Britain.

A Room for London: Special Guests

As well as hosting lucky members of the public, A Room for London will welcome artists, writers and cultural commentators.

These special guests will use the experience as inspiration for new artworks, web postings, writings and even live webcasts.

A Room for London is part of the London 2012 Festival, the finale of the Cultural Olympiad, and was instigated by Living Architecture and Artangel, in association with Southbank Centre.