Intact | KHBT

Intact

Illegal makeover of a redundant signal box

London / United Kingdom 2004

osa_office for subversive architecture

Client:

osa / KHBT

Team:

Karsten Huneck, Bernd Truempler, Harald Hügues, Trenton Oldfield

Located near Shoreditch overground station, beside the tracks of the railway,  the formal signal box, looked like a small scaled typical single standing family house  in a suburban area. Although it was old and weathered it seemed completely out  of place like a building-alien in a rough and poor environment.

A makeover on a early Saturday morning expressed the idealised vision of a dream

property.

Two sides of the building structure had been painted white, artificial geraniums had been “planted” in typical green window flower boxes and fixed to the windows. A hanging basket with artificial geraniums had been installed alongside the front door. This door was painted gloss black and conventional ironmongery was installed. The balcony had been converted with artificial long grass. A car battery with a light hooked up to a timer was also installed.

After 3 days “the Authorities” stormed the project with the aim to make the structure inhabitable.