Giant Chess Sets Invade

It is not only Canberra City (the Australian capital) that has recently had a giant chess set installed right in its centre. London, too, features a giant chess set, bigger than the one in Canberra I imagined, right bang in Trafalgar Square.

Photo from Londonist.com

Dubbed "The Tournament", it's actually a creation of Spanish designer Jaime Hayón and is a part of the on-going London Design Festival.

From the Art Daily:

The chess pieces are supported by a wooden base on castors so that they can be moved around easily, and there is a metal frame within the ceramic form to provide stability. The chess board is made of mosaic glass tiles created by Italian tiling specialists, Bisazza. Rising above the giant tiled chessboard are elevated platforms where players sit in large, high-backed chairs directing their pieces around the board. The London Design Festival are actively encouraging the general public to apply to take part in the chess games and come down and play or simply watch and enjoy this community spectacle.