The design of new police boxes to be used in the City of London have been shown off following a recent design competition.
The stone-clad police boxes, by architecture and design studio Unknown Works, includes space for digital information screens, communication technology and first-aid equipment. They can also serve as dedicated hubs for on-beat City of London Police officers and as a space for community engagement and events.
(c) City of London / Unknown Works
To enliven the design, details from buildings, stories and images of the past, present and future of the Square Mile will be collected to be carved into the stone exterior of the police boxes. The stone exterior will then, over time, play host to a vast array of lichen colonies and species which, over the course of their slow growth, will evolve in their colour and appearance.
(c) City of London / Unknown Works
The London Stones will also become a base for pollution monitoring and planting projects to encourage biodiversity and invite forgotten species back into the City once again.
(c) City of London / Unknown Works
The City of London Police will now be seeking to develop the winning concept, create a working prototype and install the first new Police Box in the Square Mile.
(c) City of London / Unknown Works
I prefer the old TARDIS design as I reckon these would never get off the ground!
Of course they won’t get off the ground, their designed to stay *FIRMLY PUT* on the ground
You can ring all you want the chances of someone turning up is zilch
City Police mercifully generally turn up quite quickly!
We had police boxes before that were got rid of, these will be a surface for graffiti which isn’t always attractive and may become an eyesore.
Not entirely clear why these are needed, nor where or whether they will fit into the streetscape given the amount of infrastructure that will be needed. Stone is an interesting choice – I’d have expected something in steel etc. As for encouraging lichen growth…??