For Clerkenwell Design Week 2025, British artist Alex Chinneck has unveiled A Week at the Knees, a striking installation that transforms a Georgian brick facade into a rippling, almost human-like form. Standing 5.5 metres tall and stretching 13.5 metres long, the sculpture appears to be a historic house bending its knees and sitting down—an imaginative reinterpretation of traditional architecture that invites visitors to escape the everyday. Made from thousands of brick slips and steel, this freestanding piece embodies Chinneck’s vision of playful escapism, encouraging audiences to rethink their relationship with urban spaces and architecture in a highly surveilled, risk-averse world.
Reimagining tradition with playful distortion
At the heart of A Week at the Knees is a reconfiguration of a classic Georgian facade, complete with bending windows and brickwork, creating the illusion that the building itself is taking a seat. Located in London’s Charterhouse Square, the installation measures 5.5 metres high and 13.5 metres long, making it an impressive presence within the historic setting. The sculpture was crafted using 320 metres of steel and 7,000 brick slips, meticulously glued onto a steel skeleton to achieve its fluid, rippling form.
Chinneck initially searched for a building to attach this distorted facade but had a breakthrough realizing the sculpture could stand independently. This decision not only freed the design creatively but also allowed the project to become financially feasible. The physical challenge was significant—transforming heavy, rigid materials into something that appears flexible and light required sophisticated engineering and fabrication. Despite supply chain issues, including a global shortage of the specific glue needed, the team persevered, reflecting Chinneck’s blend of ambition and anxiety in bringing the concept to life.
A message of hope and defiance in a cautious world
Beyond its visual impact, A Week at the Knees carries a deeper message. Chinneck hopes the installation will spark a sense of possibility and wonder, particularly for younger visitors. “We live in an increasingly risk-averse, digital and highly surveilled world,” he explains, “where it can often feel like the safest thing to do is to stay in and do nothing.” His work acts as an invitation to break free from these constraints, encouraging exploration and play in public spaces.
This theme of “playful escapism” resonates strongly with Clerkenwell Design Week’s spirit, fostering creativity and innovation in one of London’s most vibrant design districts. The sculpture’s presence challenges the rigidity of urban life and conventional architecture by adding a whimsical, almost surreal element that disrupts the norm and ignites imagination.
Revisiting a signature form with new ambition
A Week at the Knees builds on Chinneck’s earlier success with From the Knees of my Nose to the Belly of my Toes (2013), which similarly featured a bending facade—this time of a seaside home in Margate. The earlier work captivated audiences with its simple yet powerful deformation of brickwork, creating a narrative and sculptural form that felt both familiar and fantastical.
Since then, Chinneck has chased that same impact while experimenting with different materials and increasingly complex fabrication techniques. He admits he delayed revisiting this concept because he did not want to be creatively pigeonholed. Each project offers a chance to innovate rather than repeat, which has sometimes frustrated his commissioners but has allowed his practice to remain exploratory and dynamic.
Permanence and legacy
Designed with touring and permanence in mind, A Week at the Knees is more than a temporary spectacle. Chinneck envisions the sculpture finding a permanent home in a museum setting, where its playful distortion could create an engaging tension with the strict confines of a traditional gallery space. Such a setting would extend the life of the work and broaden its audience, allowing more people to engage with its unique blend of architecture, art, and whimsy.
As Chinneck continues to push boundaries with his diverse portfolio—from surreal twisted street furniture to large-scale public sculptures—A Week at the Knees stands as a testament to his ability to blend technical skill with imaginative storytelling. It invites us all to pause, play, and reconsider the built environment around us.
Clerkenwell Design Week runs from 20 to 23 June 2025, showcasing innovative design across London’s historic district.
