atelier 37.2: 'prism' a room for london

‘london prism’ for ‘a room for london’ by atelier 37.2 image courtesy of atelier 37.2

based on isaac newton’s particle theory that stated white light was a mixture of all of colors, french architecture practice atelier 37.2‘s proposal for living architecture’s ‘a room for london’ competition is an architectural metaphor that supported the antithesis of that discovery.

the hotel room, which will temporarily sit on the roof of the queen elizabeth hall, is composed of a series of multi-colored glass panels used in conjunction with wooden slats. the varying lengths represent the specific wavelength of each corresponding color. composed of a base and a wooden parallelepiped of three blind walls and a wall of wooden planks, the sculptural and colorful structure offsets the monochromatic grey building it sits upon.

simulation of ‘london prism’ on the roof of the queen elizabeth hall image courtesy of atelier 37.2

as the light changes throughout the day, the structure will be transformed into a living painting, filtering the vibration and the energy of the city through the translucent walls.

a wooden corridor leads the visitors to the entrance, focusing their attention and emphasizing their first impression as they enter the space. inside, all of the furniture is integrated into the architecture, eliminating the need for excess objects. constructed from a seamless and singular mass of wood, the architectural landscape suggests and dictates the actions of daily life. a barge is sculpted within the structure to include a bath, a desk, a couch, multiple fittings, a dining table complete with plates that are carved directly from it.

integrated interior furnishings image courtesy of atelier 37.2

(from left to right) a load-spreading barge base, five pre-fabricated units, wooden and colored glass skin

(left) functional axonometric (right) carved interior furnishings

concept sketch

paris-based atelier 37.2 : francesca bonesio and nicolas guiraud image © designboom 37.2 atelier de microarchitecture is a collaboration between italian architect, francesca bonesio and french photographer and art director, nicolas guiraud.