This is a sponsored article on behalf of the City of London Corporation.
You know that old saying about small children being more interested in the gift packaging than the toy itself? Well, turns out they were on to something all along — cardboard boxes actually are a lot of fun. Or, at least, they can be in the hands of an artist like Olivier Grossetête.
He teams up with members of the public in cities all over the world to create spectacular cardboard structures in the middle of the local urban environment. And now he's coming to London as part of Fantastic Feats: the building of London, a season of events that celebrates architecture, engineering, and innovation in the capital.
Over one thousand boxes and a lot of elbow grease will be used to build The People's Tower: a 20 metre high monument inspired by the Guildhall. And you're invited to get involved.
Head to Barbican Exhibition Hall between Monday 15 July and Friday 19 July to build boxes and help assemble the various sections of this giant tower (full timings here). Following this week of workshops, on Saturday 20 July, the tower's building blocks will be transported to Guildhall Yard, where members of the public will again work communally to put it all together.
But the fun doesn't end there. The next day, on Sunday 21 July, the community is invited back to Guildhall Yard to witness, and take part in, the tower's demolition. Pull it apart, stamp on the boxes, and generally revel in the somewhat transgressive pleasure of destruction.
Whether you participate in some or all of the event, it's a fantastic chance to get under the skin of the City and work with Londoners you might not otherwise get a chance to meet. All of the workshops, the tower construction, and the tower topple are free to attend and there's no need to book.
The People's Tower, Monday 15 July to Sunday 21 July. Click here for full timings and further details. Fantastic Feats: the building of London, 31 May to 1 December 2019. Click here for further details.
