Trafalgar Square

Trafalgar Square is to receive a makeover as part of the London Design Festival 2009 – it will be turned into a giant chess set.

The festival will take place at various venues across the capital from September 19th to September 27th, with one of the major projects being the transformation of Trafalgar Square.

Jaime Hayon, a renowned Spanish designer, has created giant ceramic chess pieces which the public will be able to play with on an enormous chessboard, in a design reinterpretation of the Battle of Trafalgar.

Arts Council England is supporting the event, which could make an exciting destination for people travelling in limousines.

Moira Sinclair, its executive director, said: “We are looking forward to the Trafalgar Square commission, which uses one of the capital’s best loved outdoor spaces to bring a moment of spectacle to over one million people throughout its installation.”

Other events in the festival include a poster exhibition and a party in the Victoria and Albert museum.