Martino Gamper
Disco Carbonara
Inspired by the concept of a Potemkin Village - a construction built to deceive others into thinking that a situation is better than it really is - Disco Carbonara was a one-off site specific temporary 'clubbing' installation designed as a gateway to Coal Drop’s Yard in King's Cross.
The title 'Disco Carbonara' is a double play on the Italian word for charcoal burner and the hearty roman pasta dish – which some say was made to sustain Italian charcoal workers – coupled with the project’s location in a yard built in the 1850s to handle the 8 million tonnes of coal delivered each year to power the capital, and latterly housing a night club.
Consisting of a playful false facade where visitors could enter into a tunnel like disco and dance along to the bespoke soundtrack for a brief moment, Gamper wanted the installation to echo back to the history of its London location, (most recently being a spot for nightlife).
The temporary structure had a low environmental impact, with all materials as waste products, recycled or later repurposed.
Images courtesy of John Sturrock and Andy Stagg