Lunch Break’ – St Paul’s Plinth competition winner revealed

‘Lunch Break’ – an installation by creative architecture studio KHBT in collaboration with artist Ottmar Hörl – has been announced as the winner of a design competition to create a new work for the ‘St Paul’s Plinth’ outside St Paul’s tube station. The competition, organised by the London Festival of Architecture and the Cheapside Business Alliance, makes use of the existing frame structure as a stage for a new intervention that will be seen by hundreds of thousands of people when it is installed as part of the London Festival of Architecture in June 2019.

‘Lunch Break’ sees 35 gilded angels sitting on randomly arranged bars, suspended from the existing wire grid of the ‘St Paul’s Plinth’, which was first created by ScottWhitbyStudio and Arup for the London Festival of Architecture in 2018. Like much of KHBT’s work, this collaboration with Ottmar Hörl crosses boundaries and builds a unique space that sits between art and architecture. As the London Festival of Architecture explores ‘boundaries’ as its theme for 2019, the project celebrates what can happen at that creative boundary, as well as providing a charming and eye-catching temporary landmark for the City of London.

KHBT with Ottmar Hörl overcame competition from a field of 22 entries and impressed the judging panel comprising:

• India Block (Architecture reporter, Dezeen)
• Ruth Duston OBE (executive director, Cheapside Business Alliance)
• Marc Easton (Senior Structural Engineer, Arup)
• Simon McGinn (City Property Advisory Team Manager, City of London Corporation)
• Alex Scott-Whitby (director, ScottWhitbyStudio)
• Clarisse Tavin (Group Manager, Major Programmes and Projects, City of London Corporation)
• Tamsie Thomson (Director, London Festival of Architecture)

Karsten Huneck, partner at KHBT, said:

“We are delighted to be able to team up with our long-standing collaborator Artist Ottmar Hörl to implement “Lunch Break”. It will be an emotional and imaginative piece that is aiming to make  people think and smile. After all we feel that in this particular time guardian angels deserve some rest.”

Tamsie Thomson, director of the London Festival of Architecture said:

“Just as angels traverse the boundary physical and the spiritual, this fabulous new artwork will help us explore other boundaries: between art and architecture, or between the everyday and the extraordinary. No-one expects to see seraphim relaxing in the middle of the City – that’s why the London Festival of Architecture thrives on the unexpected to help people enjoy the city around them and celebrate exceptional architectural and design talent in London.”

Ruth Duston OBE, OC Executive director, Cheapside Business Alliance said:

“We are delighted to be sponsoring the St Paul’s Plinth for a second year. This year’s activity builds on the success of the St Paul’s Gateway installation, which has already transformed the experience of people arriving to the area. The new ‘Lunch Break’ artwork with its stunning angels will once again be a talking point, a photo opportunity or simply something that makes our thousands of visitors smile. It reflects the changing nature of the City, with world class leisure, culture and art sitting comfortably alongside the financial heart of the capital.”