‘The London System’ chess installation to open at Olympia, blending art, play, self-care and sustainability
- Designer Lauren MacDonald to unveil large-scale chess board installation at Olympia
- The project pays homage to Olympia’s heritage as a host for world-class chess tournament, London Chess Classic
- The free installation will encourage people to get out and play this January
Lauren MacDonald’s ‘The London System’ is available to play at Olympia from 20 January 2025
This January, designer Lauren MacDonald will unveil ‘The London System’, an interactive chess installation inspired by Rio Kobayashi and Webb Yates-designed Off The Shelf pavilion at Olympia. The free-to-play large-scale chess board installation, blending traditional gameplay with pared-back design, is located seconds away from Kensington (Olympia) station, and will be available for people to enjoy from 20 January 2025. Olympia will start opening its doors later this year following its £1.3bn transformation that will see it become London’s newest cultural destination.
Off The Shelf is a temporary pavilion, initially commissioned by Olympia for the London Design Festival in September, and has since been hosting artist residencies as part of its On The Shelf programming. MacDonald is the third announced resident and her installation will be at the pavilion until 28th February.
MacDonald’s concept, which is a nod to the classic chess opening, ‘The London System’, encourages people to get out and play in a traditionally morose time of year. The installation draws from the material and architectural elements of the Off The Shelf pavilion. Like the pavilion, a chess game presents an opportunity for people, materials, and ideas to intermingle. ‘The London System’ is an invitation to the pavilion’s visitors; asking them to pause, interact, reflect, and play.
Lauren MacDonald, designer, said: “Chess is a much-loved game. My hope is that The London System will bring people together to spend time at the pavilion, engaging not just with the game but with each other and their surroundings. As a chess player myself, this project presented an opportunity to combine a game that I love with my design practice, merging traditional chess elements with the pavilion’s innovative design, heritage with modernity.”
The chess pieces are crafted from London Plane wood sourced from a felled tree in nearby Kensington Park Gardens by Fallen and Felled, a local company that sustainably fells urban trees into hardwood timber. The classic forms of the chess pieces have been stripped back to their basic elements while maintaining legibility for gameplay.
To create the black pieces, MacDonald has ebonised half of the chess set, a simple process which blackens the wood’s surface by creating a chemical reaction between the tannins in the wood and a solution made from steel wool and white vinegar. MacDonald worked with designer and woodworker Jesse Beagley on ‘The London System’s’ technical design, material consultation, and fabrication.
The chessboard itself will use a combination of white removable spray chalk and the pavilion’s existing floor, ensuring a minimalistic aesthetic that complements the Off The Shelf pavilion’s clean lines. The chess pieces vary in height, with the pawns standing at 40 cm, the rooks, knights, and bishops around 60 cm, and the kings and queens reaching approximately 70 cm. The chessboard itself measures 2.56 x 2.56 meters, creating a visual balance between the pieces and the surrounding space.
John Hitchcox, Founder of Yoo and Chairman of Yoo Capital, which owns Olympia alongside DFI, said: “The London System epitomises the innovative and playful spirit of Olympia. This installation not only celebrates sustainable design, a cornerstone of the destination’s ongoing transformation, but also creates a unique space for connection and mindfulness, reinterpreting the pavilion as a space for interaction and reflection.
“The project pays homage to Olympia’s heritage as a host for world-class chess tournament, the London Chess Classic, and we are thrilled to bring this to life with this thoughtful experience.”
In the UK alone, 12% of UK adults play chess regularly, with over half of these players aged between 18 and 34, and chess is widely believed to contribute positively to a healthier mind. West London is home to some of London’s most popular chess clubs, including West London Chess Club and Hammersmith Chess Club, as well as casual grassroot clubs that reflects its universality.
The London System will be available for people to come and enjoy from Monday 20 January, and will be open every day from 10am to 6pm until 28 February.
The regeneration of Olympia is one of the most ambitious projects in London. Famous for its iconic glass-domed exhibition halls, Olympia is undergoing a historic transformation. Later this year, it will relaunch as London’s newest destination for innovation and culture, a space where artists, creators and the public can come together to experience culture in new and exciting ways.
Built as an events and exhibitions venue almost 140 years ago, the new destination will see the beloved event halls be complemented by a 4,000-capacity music venue, the largest new purpose-built theatre in London for almost 50 years with 1,575 seats, two lifestyle hotels, 30+ restaurants, bars and eateries, a new school, a boutique gym, state-of-the-art offices, and new public spaces for visitors to enjoy.