Alex Chinneck’s ‘A Week at the Knees’: A Playful Exploration of Materiality

British artist and designer Alex Chinneck has unveiled a striking new installation, A Week at the Knees, at Clerkenwell Design Week 2025. Situated in London’s Charterhouse Square, this sculptural piece reimagines a traditional Georgian brick façade with a playful, undulating twist—literally. The installation challenges perceptions of architectural form and material behaviour, creating a dynamic encounter for visitors.

Measuring 13 metres long, 5 metres high, and an astonishingly slender 15 centimetres deep, A Week at the Knees embodies a free-flowing elegance that belies its 12 tonnes of weight. The structure integrates 7,000 custom-designed bricks, 320 metres of repurposed steel, and bespoke bending windows and doors, demonstrating a meticulous blend of artistry, engineering, and material innovation.

Material Innovation and Sustainability Focus

Chinneck’s work is a testament to the creative potential of reclaimed and custom-fabricated materials. The use of repurposed steel reduces the project’s carbon footprint while showcasing how industrial waste streams can be transformed into sculptural, design-forward installations. The bespoke bricks, supplied by Michelmersh Brick Holdings PLC, highlight advances in brick manufacturing, while the bending windows and doors, created in collaboration with Crittall Windows, push the boundaries of standard architectural elements. This experimental approach encourages architects and designers to rethink traditional materials and consider how flexibility and circularity can coexist in architectural design.

The project also exemplifies the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration. Chinneck partnered with a network of British manufacturers and fabricators—including Chiltern GRC, Cleveland Steel, FabSpeed, and Crittall Windows—demonstrating how innovative design requires teamwork across material sectors.

Inspiration for the Built Environment

For architects, interior designers, and landscape architects, A Week at the Knees offers valuable insights into the creative manipulation of building materials. It highlights the potential for adaptive reuse and material circularity, while challenging traditional notions of form and structure. The project serves as an inspiration for designing public spaces and façades that are both playful and thought-provoking, opening new possibilities for place-making and urban interventions.

Chinneck’s previous works, such as the sliding house in Margate, an unzipping building for Milan Design Week, and an inverted electricity pylon for the London Design Festival, establish a consistent theme of architectural transformation through material experimentation—an ethos that resonates strongly within the design community.

Source: Clerkenwell Design Week / Alex Chinneck
Photos: Charles Emerson