Native Places, Bankside
A Festive Aparthotel Brand Installation.
In London, it’s become a celebrated tradition for hotels to showcase their annual Christmas tree designs, with the season truly kicking off only when the media begins ranking their favourites. My creation for Native Places Bankside captured widespread attention, praised for its originality, creativity, and unmistakable Dickensian uniqueness.
- Research & Curation
- Object & Prop Buying/Sourcing
- Budget, Planning & Logistics
- Bespoke Fabrication & Production Design
Transporting guests back in time, unveiling ‘A Nostalgic Tapestry of the Thames.'
My creation stood out as a bold reimagining of festive tree design, transporting viewers into a bygone eras of charm and nostalgia. This tree was a huge departure from the usual tinsel-decked, heavy branded “fashion house” designed counterpart seen in most lobbies. It was what I coined a “Christmas time-hop Tree".
Blending creativity, with eco-consciousness, I highlighted the history of Bankside, and installed this bespoke tree as a welcome edition to the capital's holiday spirit. To capture the attention of passers-by and to create a bold installation within the window of Native Bankside, the installation stood 12ft, and it came to life through exciting characterful storytelling.
This installation defied contemporary decorations and whisked viewers into a bygone era of charm and nostalgia, the ultimate step back in time, a Victorian TARDIS of festive joy.
Picture this: a design that's an uproarious mishmash of evocative memories, a symphony of historical Christmases thrown together in a celebration of epic proportions. Throughout the curation we considered Christmas memories—the cherished objects, the special ornaments loved at this time of year—so our response was to honour these objects as a time capsule.
As A Curator
Native exists for interesting people. Native isn’t quirky or kooky, but it does shine a spotlight on different. A different way to stay and savour a city. Each Native site has its own history and heritage and has ECOsmart accreditation and a BREEAM rating of ‘excellent’ (BREEAM is a world-leading third-party sustainability assessment). All of these unique qualities contributed to the brief and my research whilst finding a solution for this sustainable, creative tree.
Design
To be eco-conscious it was important that sustainability took centre stage in the construction of this towering spectacle. The core of the tree? Recycled steel, standing tall at a whopping 12 feet, adorned with plasma-cut, hand-engraved snow wings for extra magical detail.
Sourcing, Buying and Styling
Adorning the tree were handpicked items, treasures, each with a story to tell. This unique design could easily be described as a Heirloom Christmas Museum on a tree. It was a fully immersive exploration of history, of Christmas and symbolism and what we all love about the festive time of year.
The Highlights
‘That’s because you want something a bit more. A bit more different, exciting, and imaginative. A bit more you. And frankly just a bit more… Enter ‘A Nostalgic Tapestry of The Thames’ at Native Bankside … this was in my head whilst I was desigining this tree.
The Golden Hind and The Thames
At the tree's summit, the Golden Hind sails proudly, guided by a searchlight, its rope cascading down like a waterfall. A Victorian anchor holds court at the base, guarding a treasure chest filled with golden coins for any lucky explorer. The Lion’s Head of the River Thames, keeper of safety folklore, graces the tree’s branches, reminding us all about the perils of thirsty lions and London's potential sinkage.
Shakespeare's Globe
Shakespeare stands proud, a hand-carved figure from the 1890s celebrating the illustrious Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre. Paying homage to Bankside and Borough Market, antique food cans take centre stage - ginger, cornflour, Marmite cubes, Cadbury Milk Tray, and Harrogate Toffee- all surviving the test of time, much like the quality of these bygone days. A Tate and Lyle Food Van, a nod to the Tate Modern Gallery's delicious origins before it got all artsy, shows my attention to immersive detail.
Christmas Teddies
And for the sweetest touch, a cuddly rabbit teddy bear with metal cymbals from 1895 makes an appearance, still in working order. Because nothing says Christmas joy like the nostalgia and comfort of a simple teddy bear. Who knew Christmas trees could be such a riotous adventure through time and taste buds?
What The Client Said
Marketing, Native Places
Gallery
This design allowed me to be playful but also had a cleverness to it, because every single object was chosen for a reason. When viewed as one whole installation, each chosen piece told the overall story, making this an immersive piece I am very proud of.
