Bathing Beauties®: A Hub Touring Exhibition of Selected Bathing Beauties® Scale Models which ‘Re-invent the Beach Hut for the 21st Century’ Featuring a full scale Bathing Beauty ‘Oyster Pleasance’.

Bathing Beauties® began with an international art and architecture competition to ‘Re-imagine the Beach Hut for the 21st Century’ launched by Michael Trainor and Lincolnshire County Council in 2006. The competitions were promoted worldwide and requested entry by scale model only (1:15), with the opportunity of winning one of four commissions to build chosen designs on the Lincolnshire coast, UK. The competitions elicited one of the most exciting responses to any architectural competition this century with over 240 scale models submitted from 15 different countries across 4 continents direct to a tiny business centre in Mablethorpe UK, where the competition was held in September 2006.

Initially, all the amazing 1:15 size scale models were exhibited for judging and public viewing in a community venue in Mablethorpe. The quality, imagination and diverse range of innovative and exciting micro architecture defining a new aesthetic for British Seaside Architecture for the 21st Century excited panellists and visitors so much, that a way to exhibit the scale models for future viewing was sought. The Hub: National Craft & Design Centre based in Sleaford, Lincolnshire, UK offered to professionally display as many scale models as possible, co-curated by lead artist Michael Trainor and shown on bespoke wave-form plinths specially designed and created by 24-Design, UK. Over 100 scale models selected from the original entries, which re-invent the British Beach Hut for the first time in 300 years, were shown on bespoke wave-form plinths¹, together with a full scale Bathing Beauty, ‘Oyster Pleasance’ for visitors to sit inside and enjoy the view. The exhibition premiere took place from June to September 2007and attracted over 10,000 people in 10 weeks - the highest ever visitor numbers to the Hub: National Craft & Design Centre.

‘Contemporary craft and design practice sits at the heart of what the Hub does, we genuinely believe good design can enrich lives. The Bathing Beauties exhibition proved one of the most popular exhibitions we have ever staged at the Hub: National Centre for Craft & Design and attracted over 10,000 visitors over 10 weeks from across the UK and beyond. Not only were our visitors fascinated by the extraordinarily creative designs on show, but their response also reflected a genuine affection for the British Seaside, and a desire to celebrate and rediscover Britain's coastal resorts’.
Melanie Kidd, Head of Exhibitions, the Hub: National Craft & Design Centre, Lincolnshire, UK

The popularity of this exhibition led to seeking a way of continuing to display the models for the enjoyment of as many people as possible in the UK and beyond. The result is fantastic - Bathing Beauties®: A Hub Touring Exhibition, part-funded by Arts Council England, is on tour now and available for hire:

Bathing Beauties®: A Hub Touring Exhibition

'brilliant exhibition, can’t they ALL be built full-size?’ ‘impressive, fabulous, inspirational’
Exhibition Visitor

CURRENTLY: 2010

22 May - 3 July 2010            Oriel Myrddin Gallery,  

                                               Carmarthen, Wales. UK.                                www.orielmyrddingallery.co.uk 

Archive Dates

13 March - 9 May 2010      Scarborough Museum & Art Gallery,  

                                               Scarborough, UK.                                           www.scarboroughartgallery.co.uk

11 July - 20 Sept 2009        Tullie House Museum & Art Gallery, Carlisle,  

                                               Cumbria, UK.                                                     www.tulliehouse.co.uk 

4 Oct - 26 Oct 2008             RNLI Henry Blogg Museum, Cromer, UK           www.rnli.org.uk

20 June - 20 July 2008       Midland Hotel, Morecambe, UK                         www.midlandmorecambe.co.uk

11 - 18 March 2008              MIPIM, Cannes, France                                    www.mipim.com

Exhibition For Hire: The exhibition is for hire worldwide. Between 30 and 100 scale models and the full scale beach hut 'Oyster Pleasance' can be displayed, depending upon space available in galleries or exhibition spaces. For more details please contact Melanie Kidd at The Hub: National Craft & Design Centre, Sleaford, Lincolnshire, UK.
Telephone +44(0)1529 308710 Email: Melanie.kidd@thehubcentre.info
For archive information on the exhibition visit www.thehubcentre.info

BATHING BEAUTIES® SCALE MODEL ENTRIES GALLERY
This virtual gallery displays all 240 of the 1:15 scale model designs entered into the Bathing Beauties® international design competition. Note that a selection of between 30 and 100 scale models only are included in Bathing Beauties®: A Hub Touring Exhibition.

Bathing Beauties® is a Hub Touring Exhibition which includes up to 100 scale models displayed on specially created wave-form plinths designed and created by www.24design.co.uk. The Bathing Beauties® exhibition was co-curated by lead artist Michael Trainor and the Hub: National Centre for Craft & Design. The Bathing Beauties® exhibition developed from the international competition, 'Bathing Beauties: Re-imagining the beach hut for 21st Century', initiated by lead artist, Michael Trainor. Bathing Beauties®: A Hub Touring Exhibition is funded by Arts Council England.
Press Release May 2008 [click to download]

Image credits

Top left: Touring Exhibition Photo © Michael Trainor
Top right: Oyster Pleasance - By The Beach Hut Salon Photo © Michael Trainor
Inset 1: Beach Hopper - 1:15 scale model By energydesignlab, UK Photo © Joel Chester Fildes
Inset 2: Will Alsop, Architect Launches Hub Touring Exhibition 2007 Photo: Joel Chester Fildes
Bottom Image: Bathing Beauties®: Hub Exhibition 2007 Photo © Joel Chester Fildes