Disappearing Street Phone Booths Get Creative Makeovers to Welcome the Olympics in London

Text and photos / Life Fairy Tale

Remember when you forgot your textbooks at school as a child and rushed to the hallway to make a public phone call, asking your mom to bring them over so you wouldn’t get scolded by the teacher? Or when you were in the military, and every evening after dinner and before showering, there was always a long line in front of the public phones, waiting to say a few words to someone important. With the advancement of communication technology, a mobile phone has become an essential accessory for everyone—just pick it up, dial, and you're connected. There’s no need to queue up at a public phone anymore, and in fact, finding a public phone on the street has become quite difficult. Although public phones have been replaced by mobile phones, in the minds of the British, the red telephone booth remains an incredibly important and highly recognizable cultural icon—and a must-photograph landmark for any visitor to the UK.

To welcome the upcoming London Olympics and celebrate the 60th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's accession to the throne, British TelecomBT ArtBoxlaunched the “Redesign the Phone Box” campaign, inviting over 80 artists—including students from Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, renowned illustrators, and the design team of British fashion brand Ted Baker—to give a fresh new look to the century-old British telephone booths.

To express patriotism, the Union Jack was naturally a key design element. In Sir Peter Blake’s piece “Union Jack 2012,” the entire exterior of the phone booth is covered with Swarovski crystals, making it dazzling under sunlight.

When it comes to British icons, Big Ben is certainly not to be missed. This piece is by contemporary New Zealand artist Mandii Pope, whose concept was inspired by her first impression of the UK upon arrival.

Howoco’s “Stop The Pigeon”: The iconic red telephone booth in London was created in 1936 by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott to celebrate the 25th anniversary of King George V’s accession. This eye-catching red phone booth—also known as the Red Telephone Box—features the distinct bright red officially designated by the General Post Office, also called “Post Office Red,” matching the color of British postboxes.

A contemporary designer who has worked with numerous global brands including Coca-Cola, Google, and Deutsche BankBenjamin Shinecrafted the regally inspired “Box Lounger.” (The editor would love to custom-order one too!)

British contemporary artist Dave White’s work “Nowhere to Hide” uses a wild leopard print as its main design theme, subtly reminding the world of the importance of conserving rare animals.

Artist Gerry Judah employed surrealist concepts to slice the phone booth into fragmented pieces, with the disjointed forms symbolizing the booth’s impending disappearance into history.

The DnA Factory’s “The Poetry Of Life” features poetic porcelain rose petals, evoking a romantic and nostalgic atmosphere.

The work “The Smile of a Tear” by Lidia de Pedro and Fiona Duffelen draws inspiration from the idea of running away from the circus, magically transforming the phone booth into a spectacular circus magic show that conveys the mystery and charm of performance art.

These creativephone booths are currently on display in Trafalgar Square in central London. The exhibition runs until July 18, the end of the London Olympics. After the exhibition, these ingeniously designed phone booths will be auctioned, with proceeds going to the charity ChildLine to support children and teenagers in need. If you’d also like to take part in redesigning phone booths, head over toDesign your own BT ArtBoxand share your creative phone booth ideas with the world.

Selected Extensions from Fairy Tale

No more fumbling with your phone to find information while answering calls.

Amazingly camouflaged—Is it a camera or a phone?!

A sushi moisture-proof plug that is both decorative and practical.

Click hereto see more creative designs.

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