Beautiful Beach Hut Competition - Eyes Wide Shut | The Plan
  1. Home
  2. Magazine 2007
  3. The Plan 021
  4. Beautiful Beach Hut Competition - Eyes Wide Shut

Beautiful Beach Hut Competition - Eyes Wide Shut

Feix&Merlin Architects

Beautiful Beach Hut Competition - Eyes Wide Shut
By Alessandra Orlandoni -

Part of the Lincolnshire County renovation scheme to upgrade sixteen kilometres of east coast between Mablethorp and Chapel St. Leonards involved an international ideas competition last year on the theme of redesigning the bathing resort facilities. “Bathing Beauties” is the name that artist Michael Trainor gave the contest: designers were invited to give free rein to creativity, team up with artists, invent old bathing huts anew and transform the coast into a gallery of unusual micro-architecture. One of the four contest-winners was the youthful firm of Feix&Merlin with a project due to be completed by September 2007. “We became very interested in this competition because of its uniqueness, both in terms of the extremes of the atmospheric conditions, but also because of the positive influence that exciting new architecture could have on the coastal economy. We are fascinated by the role that design plays within the complexities of urban and rural regeneration. This issue is becoming more and more important as people become concerned with the carbon emissions of flight travel and interested in spending their holidays on these shores. There’s a desire to return to an idea of the traditional British seaside holiday, but with a fresh and novel approach.” Eyes Wide sHut - a visual pun on the Stanley Kubrick movie - could be described as a concept-intense, romantic operation aiming for a typically English blend of sophistication, comfort and privacy even in a largely public place like a beach. The hut has two façades, one onto the beach, the other onto the town behind it. Set in two large frames of laser-cut metal, these reflect a picture of the landscape while creating a situation of voyeuristic privacy within. The effect is achieved by two-way mirror glazing preventing anyone seeing in but perfectly transparent from inside. The interior thus becomes a cosy private shelter from the wind, the sand and the inquisitive. Another relaxing touch is given by a digital...

Proceed with your preferred purchase option to continue reading
Digital

Digital

5.49 €
Printed

Printed

15.00 €
Subscription

Subscription

From 42.00 €
Choose subscription
Keep up with the latest trends in the architecture and design world

© Maggioli SpA • THE PLAN • Via del Pratello 8 • 40122 Bologna, Italy • T +39 051 227634 • P. IVA 02066400405 • ISSN 2499-6602 • E-ISSN 2385-2054