House to Home

Roman Amphitheatre

Beneath the courtyard of the London Guildhall in the heart of the City, the long lost evidence of a Roman amphitheatre comes to life, thanks to a clever installation by Nigel Coates. Digital displays expand the definition of the original arena, despite the limited height of the remains. The archaeological material is treated with restraint and respect, but the visitor experience is accentuated with a life-sized digital backdrop that delineates the original ellipse. The occasional roar from an imaginary crowd affirms the idea of gladiatorial combat.

We filled in the imagination where the remains left off

Baroccabilly: home to an imaginary outsider

Design Shows

Since the formation of Nigel Coates Studio in 2007, a series of shows has featured furniture designs of both production and limited edition. The first of these took place at the Venice Biennale in 2008 and focussed on a ‘landscape’ of innovative pieces in leather. This was followed in 2010 by Baroccabilly at the Fuorisalone in Milan and at the Cristina Grajales Gallery in New York. In 2012 Casa Reale occupied a derelict house, again in Milan; pitching the opulence of his work against the crumbling decay of the house, Coates was able apply his narrative atmosphere to great effect.

Casa Reale Show: The effect of our furniture was to upgrade a derelict house into a palace