Mr. Doodle’s ambitious plans for a seaside home in Dungeness, Kent, have hit a stumbling block as local officials voice concerns over its unconventional design, per artnet.com.
Sam Cox, the 28-year-old artist known globally as Mr. Doodle, has proposed a striking three-bedroom residence featuring his signature doodles laser-cut into a rusting metal exterior. The innovative design, crafted by renowned architect Guy Hollaway, aims to blend into the coastal landscape through its use of weathered corten steel. However, the Lydd Town Council has raised objections, citing potential threats to the area’s historical character and environmental balance.
The controversy centres on the home’s distinctive façade, which officials worry could become an unintended tourist attraction and pose risks to local wildlife. Hollaway has defended the design, emphasising that the doodle apertures are “quite small” and comparing them to similar features in his firm’s successful Pobble House project, which has operated without incident in the area for a decade.
The proposed home would replace an existing bungalow, maintaining the original footprint while incorporating restored railway carriages – a nod to the area’s industrial heritage. Cox, who shot to fame with his “graffiti spaghetti” style and boasts nearly seven million social media followers, is no stranger to ambitious architectural projects. He previously transformed his £1.35 million Tenterden mansion into a black-and-white doodle masterpiece, using over 900 litres of paint and 2,296 pen nibs.
The fate of this latest artistic venture lies in the hands of the Folkestone and Hythe District Council, who will make their final decision later this month. The outcome could set a precedent for how historic coastal communities balance preservation with contemporary artistic expression.
- Featured image: Mr. Doodle/David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images for Broadgate
