Lego, the Danish toy company, has collaborated with British-Nigerian designer Yinka Ilori on a colourful new launderette in East London. Called the Launderette of Dreams, the new space is, in fact, an art installation, now remade in bright colours and more than 200,000 Lego bricks, that seeks to transform community spaces to appeal to children. Housed in an empty storefront in East London's Bethnal Green area, the new launderette uses the bold colours of the toy bricks and the bright palette of Ilora's signature style, in a playfully loud, child-friendly space that actively encourages youngsters to play. The interior sports a huge Lego mural, a vending machine that dispenses toys instead of soap, and a floor that doubles as a giant hopscotch game. The shopfront, meanwhile, is a giant spinning wheel, in blocks of yellows, reds and blues, framed on either side by primrose yellow doors. Having grown up close by in north London, Ilora was inspired by his own childhood, and hours spent playing in his local launderette, waiting for the family's wash to finish. Ilora wanted the piece to be geared towards children, to encourage play in a stimulating, safe environment and help reclaim inner-city spaces for future generations. His work is strongly influenced by his own British-Nigerian heritage, which he folds throughout his multi-discipline design studio that's made up of architects and designers. Having started in 2011, upcycling furniture with traditional Nigerian fabrics, his career has since grown to include projects such as Dodge in the courtyard of London's Somerset House and a multicoloured basketball court in the city's Canary Wharf area. <i>Launderette of Dreams is located at 133-135 Bethnal Green Road, London, and runs until Saturday, November 6.</i>
