Watching Channel 4’s ‘George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces’ a couple of weeks ago, I was fascinated by the story of a giant egg, commissioned for British artist Stephen Turner as a place to live and work as he studies the changes he observes in the surrounding environment over the next year.
Constructed by boat builder Paul Baker at a cost of £40,000, the egg is made of hundreds of strips of cedar wood, 8km in total, and took 6 months to finish. I spoke to Mark Drury from SPUD (Space, Placemaking and Urban Design) who were the instigators and project managers for the egg, who told me of the challenges of designing a 40 foot long egg into a viable living and working space, although the finished product is remarkable.
The egg is registered as a boat, and will be tethered in the estuary of the River Beaulieu, rising and falling with the tides as Mr. Turner observes his surroundings. From an insurance perspective, the egg falls into the category of a boat, a home and also a work of art which makes it unusual, falling into the category.
When I spoke to Mark from SPUD he told me that he already had a broker scratching their heads about what to actually insure it as, so naturally I offered to get one of our chaps to have a look into it for him, as our panel of brokers have access to pretty much every market in the UK for non-standard risks.
As it transpires, Mark and his colleagues, having seen how much interest there has been in the Exbury Egg, have seen an opportunity to take on commissions for others who would like to own their own luxury egg. Potential owners will be able to assist in the design process, making each egg completely bespoke and unique. You can find out more at www.egg-box.com. Don’t forget to come back to CompareCrazy for your insurance though!
Anything of non-standard construction can be quoted on here at CompareCrazy, so if you don’t see a page on our main site which is relevant to your insurance requirements, feel free to e mail me, jhead@comparecrazy.com and I will be pleased to pass on your details to a relevant specialist. CompareCrazy.com. The business insurance comparison site!
