For a house that's 77,000 m², has 775 rooms and its own cash machine, you'd have thought Buckingham Palace could squeeze in a few more residents.
Actually, with a none-too-subtle extension, German architects Opposite Office reckon you can fit in another 50,000.
That's what the Munich-based firm recommended to Her Majesty recently, in an open letter, which includes details of an audacious multi-storey extension, perched on top of the current palace.
The resulting co-living quarters would include single and double bedrooms, opening up into shared living rooms and dining areas. (Presumably then, you might end up fighting over the remote with Philip.)
"The Affordable Palace should be a collective space for living, meeting people, cooking together, and drinking tea with the Royal Family — a democratic house. A normal earner can no longer afford to live in many large cities," Opposite Office co-founder Benedikt Hartl said.
"The refurbishment and extension of the Buckingham Palace will draw great media attention to issue of affordable housing, whilst improving the social standing of Buckingham Palace."
Opposite Office bills itself as a firm, which finds "unconventional solutions for different building projects," although we've a feeling this is more of a marketing/point-making exercise than it is a genuine pitch to overhaul the Queen's London residence.
Then again, Buckingham Palace has had some facelifts in its time, including a reconstruction by John Nash, which was cut short, owing to an inquiry into the cost and structural soundness of the building. Perhaps Opposite Office's proposal isn't as far-fetched as we think.
OK, it totally is.
All images © Opposite Office
