During the London Design Festival 2026, a centuries-old London public house will serve as the venue for a showcase of South Asian art, linking contemporary creative practice with the city’s worldwide design community.
Thresholds of transition
The show, titled In-Between Thresholds, investigates the liminal zones that sit between distinct locations, where boundaries dissolve and experiences emerge. Courtyards, verandahs, corridors and shaded perimeters are treated as architectural moments of passage, memory and belonging. In many parts of South Asia, such intermediary areas function as more than simple routes; they host lingering dialogue, ritual activity, shifting shadows and the negotiation of identity. The project interprets this concept through a spatial installation, positioning artworks within the gaps that separate the old from the new, the known from the unfamiliar, and the structure from its temporary re-imagining.
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The selection of the Tower Tavern deepens the narrative of adaptation. Established in 1776 as The Bastard Arms, the premises later became the Fitzroy Arms in 1826 before adopting the name Tower Tavern, referencing the adjacent Post Office Tower. The original building was torn down in the 1970s and a contemporary structure was erected, which remained in use until its closure around 2020–21. Rather than discard this layered past, OSA Studio utilizes the existing bar as a contextual canvas, preserving its modest, dimly lit interior, original finishes and remnants of its former character as integral elements of the visitor’s experience. The design intervention remains deliberately understated, permitting the exhibited pieces to energise the setting without dominating it.
Collaborative voices
The program assembles ten internationally recognised artists together with emerging creators linked to eight universities, establishing a stage for Indian, South Asian, Brown, diasporic and otherwise under-represented perspectives. By supporting cooperation among artists, students, academic institutions and design networks, the repurposed bar becomes a conduit for dialogue between South Asia and London. Title sponsorship and partnership are provided by Cindrebay, and the University of Westminster supplies the venue. Collectively, the initiative demonstrates how architecture, visual art and education can jointly reshape an existing site, not by erasing its identity, but by allowing it to evolve organically.