Faculty of Design

Illustration

Meg Farley

King Edward Hotel

This illustration reveals what once existed beneath the King Edward Hotel. Below, the King Eddy’s Saloon operated as a popular speakeasy during Prohibition, with a cellar that led to an intricate network of tunnels running beneath the city.This piece explores how these tunnels were used over time, from spaces for drinking and socializing to later tour routes where visitors could imagine bootleggers evading the police. They have also been used as filming locations, as well as walls for graffiti and artistic expression, used freely by those who passed through.