The Joy Issue

THE JOY OF LIVING

Do your surroundings make you happy? We explore the importance of joy in the urban landscapes around us and talk to the artists and architects who are injecting much-needed colour and play into to our public spaces

When was the last time you experienced the pure, unexpected joy of turning a corner and happening upon an irresistibly eye-catching art installation or playfully designed building? Something just waiting to be interacted with, whether that means being climbed on, played with or simply having its photo taken, and giving your day a much-needed lift in the process? In London we’re thoroughly spoilt for choice; from billboards and murals in glorious technicolour to pop-up pavilions and incredible art trails, there’s a wealth of public work dreamed up by artists and architects in every corner of the capital. All you have to do is notice them. “I worry about people going about their day in such a fast-paced manner that they miss things,” says visual artist Liz West. “I want people to be encouraged to see more deeply. We all go through the world completely in our little bubbles, looking at our phones, and we forget to look around us; I’m always head in the clouds, looking up, looking down, looking at what’s happening around me, whether that’s music or fashion or people, buildings, architecture, design. I think people fail to see that and so I try to slow people down and get them to take into consideration their surroundings.”

For the most part, joy is not something that’s naturally inbuilt into our public spaces. Function and utility, understandably, rank much higher in the list of priorities and, from suburban high streets to the West End, our surroundings range from the municipal and historical to the polished, sleek and flashy. There is, of course, true beauty to be found – but fun is all too rare. After all, art and architecture are serious businesses. But whether it’s to offer a brief respite from the hectic pace of daily life or a spontaneous moment of delight in the face of testing times, now, more than ever, injecting colour, joy and an element of tongue-in-cheek levity into our surroundings, and creating places that communities and connections can be built in and around, feels like a necessity. And it’s worth remembering that, just because something doesn’t take itself too seriously, doesn’t mean it hasn’t been given serious thought and care.

Take Liz West’s Hundreds and Thousands, recently installed on the Peninsula: it’s an ever-evolving kaleidoscope of colour created by wrapping a 700m stretch of the glass walkway that runs along the Tide in a rainbow of jewel tones. Not only is it truly beautiful and one of the most happy and heart-warming things you’re likely to see as you walk around London, it highlights the multi-layered brilliance of so many al fresco artworks, too. West’s work is meticulously thought out, fuelled by the science of light, colour theory and the behaviour of colour, and Hundreds and Thousands is designed to act as a giant sundial, inspired by its position just across from the Greenwich Meridian. But it’s also an incredible piece to simply look at or interact with; its light changes with the weather, creating amazing reflections on wet ground and sunny ribbons of colour on brighter days. “You can engage with it at any level, whether you’re a child or coming to it as an adult, and it will make you feel more uninhibited.” says West.

That desire to encourage people to shake off any sense of self-consciousness and get them playing, particularly adults who have forgotten how, is what powers Yinka Ilori’s work, too. The London-based multi-disciplinary artist and designer – his work to date spans everything from skateparks and murals to cushions and crockery – is fast becoming one of the most-discussed and in-demand creatives in the business, thanks to his riffs on vibrant prints, bold patterns and block colours inspired by his British-Nigerian heritage. “I think my love of colour comes firstly from my family – my mum and dad and relatives wearing colour to church services and weddings because it brings them happiness,” he says “That’s so contagious. It’s become a huge part of my life and my practice.” This summer he’s set to bring that contagious cheer to the Tide at Greenwich Peninsula, conjuring an immersive space entitled Promise Me Memories and I Will Let You In, which will be used as a backdrop for events over the coming months. “Looking at the year we’ve had, everyone’s searching for some sense of joy or uplift, some sense of hope,” he says. “One of the things we’ve missed out on especially is connecting with new people and creating memories, so I’m trying to catch up on lost time. I want to create this wonderland of play objects and art; this immersive space that we can direct our dreams in and create memories with people we love and care about.”

The fact that those people are likely to be multi-generational and from an endlessly diverse range of backgrounds is part of what makes all these works so powerful: they’re a great leveller, as easy to get involved with if you’re nine or 90. And, crucially, they’re genuinely accessible, too – freely available to anyone who happens to walk past. That idea that art should be for everyone is something that Ilori is passionate about. “Growing up, I thought that art wasn’t always accessible or inclusive, but there’s no reason why it couldn’t be or shouldn’t be,” he says. I want to have my work in different places around London that haven’t seen artists before and [people] get to experience it for free and be in touch – even if they don’t know it’s me, I don’t care; the fact that they stood up there and looked at it and took a photo is magical.”

Victor Jiménez, architect at the game-changing Madrid-based architecture firm SelgasCano, believes that design shouldn’t just be available to everyone, but reflective of them, too. “I think that there has to be an expression of all of us,” he says. “If you have a bunch of friends, you have some that are serious, others that are noisy, so, in the end, I think the best thing is that it is all expressed in the architecture of our cities, that there’s not only one line or style.” SelgasCano is renowned for conjuring buildings that incorporate not just an expansive colour palette and unexpected, light-filled shapes, but as much nature as possible, too – and for being a studio that’s the antithesis of the hierarchical, high-pressure environment that makes most architectural firms tick. It’s their democratic approach and relaxed attitude towards rule breaking and making mistakes that gives their structures such a liberated feel. The Food Hall that the firm has designed for the Peninsula’s soon-to-be-opened Design District is a case in point: a jaunty, translucent, caterpillar-shaped building, trimmed in yellow and filled with trees. “Maybe that’s the key to joy,” says Jiménez. “To do things without being worried about the meaning of it.”

LET’S CLUB TOGETHER

Fed up with working from home but in need of a more inspiring environment than a co-working space? The latest crop of members’ clubs, designed for a new way of working, are here to help you connect with more than just the Wi-Fi

Where do you work when you’ve had your fill of setting up your laptop at the kitchen table but you became a freelancer in order to avoid going to the office every day? When you’re an illustrator or an architect and your work is powered by collaboration and the sparks generated by human connections, but there’s no-one around but your newly acquired dog? Because, while there’s no denying that working from home is a privilege not a hardship – in London, around 37% of people have jobs that simply can’t be done outside their place of work – it’s also true that creativity doesn’t thrive in isolation. Ideas evolve and improve best when they’re bounced off other people and can spin off in unexpected tangents thanks to a chance encounter that you had on the stairs or grabbing a coffee – something that no amount of video calls can replicate. Which is why the new generation of members’ clubs are about to come into their own, especially those that tap into a specific need or market.

Far removed from the stuffy clubs of old and the corporate spaces designed to satisfy the City crowd, the latest crop combines flawless taste, thoughtfully tailored workspaces and inspired events programmes designed to encourage as much inter-disciplinary co-mingling as possible. So, 180 House, the Soho House group’s latest outpost on the Strand, combines cosy 1970s interiors with two floors of ultra-modern facilities like an audio and video recording suite, as well as plentiful laptop space. The Ministry in Borough, the first members’ club from the Ministry of Sound, houses hot desks, private offices and sound-proof production suites alongside a 70ft bar – and they’ll welcome your dog, too. Market Peckham offers a mix of professional, cultural and social spaces to create a unique work environment which supports a balanced lifestyle. With all the typical services you’d expect (internet, printers, showers, bike storage) and plenty that you might not (a roof garden, indoor basketball hoop and live music venue) you’re bound to find a space to suit your mood.

Neatly seated in the heart of the brilliantly innovative and soon-to-be-opened Design District, the club stretches across two buildings – one designed by London architect firm HNNA, the other by Architecture 00 – with slick, streamlined interiors conjured using sustainable materials and unexpected textures by Roz Barr Architects. This is a genuinely useful, practical place to work, with studios and communal, fixed and hot desking spaces alongside all the infrastructure you could need to make your project work, from state-of-the-art tech such as 3D printers, laser cutters and a printing press, to photographic, sound and post-production studios, as well as IT assistance and business support – and all set against a backdrop that’s as inspiring as you deserve.

It’s designed to gather together a powerful, buzz-generating creative community of talented, like-minded individuals who can all inspire and motivate each other. Between the thoughtfully laid-out communal spaces and the weekly, strictly tech-free members’ lunches and the rolling programme of talks and events, it’s geared up to help you make as many new connections across as wide a variety of disciplines as possible, all the better to build both new friendships and businesses. Now, doesn’t that sound more fun than working from home?