Clerkenwell Design Week is spreading its wings for its fourth and largest edition to date, offering design pilgrims a boosted line-up of product launches, exhibitions, installations, debates and workshops across three action-packed days in May.
With over 250 product showrooms, a plethora of creative and design studios, and the densest population of architects in the world, Clerkenwell has emerged as the UK’s indisputable design district. While the festival may not elicit the same level of frenzy as the recent Salone del Mobile, it is nonetheless a testament to the city’s increasing appeal to heavyweight brands - and likewise serves as a gateway for fledgling brands to an international design platform.
For the fourth year running, the Farmiloe Building is hosting the lion’s share of exhibitors, with the likes of Dare Studio, Plumen and Swedese presenting their collections. Italian lighting brand Foscarini is making its inaugural appearance at the festival, taking pride of place in the atrium with a site-specific installation, alongside a showcase of its best-sellers on the ground-floor.
The subterranean dungeon at the House of Detention offers a one-stop hub for up-and-coming talent, such as Foundations Rugs, which is launching a diffusion range of hand-tufted rugs, while another returning venue Order of St John is a sourcebook for decorating trends.
On display at the festival’s new pavilion focusing on surfaces, ceramic artist Lubna Chowdhary is presenting a series of ten Domus-tiled tables, modeled after Enzo Mari’s ‘Autoprogettazione’. Meanwhile, Domus is premiering Patricia Urquiola’s new collection for the brand, ‘Azulej’, in its showroom on Great Sutton Street.
This year also sees a slew of archi-centric fringe exhibits spilling out across Clerkenwell. Giles Miller Studio has installed a stainless steel and brass 'pixel' sculpture in front of a medieval gate. In another pop-up pavilion, not-for-profit organization Architecture for Humanity has created a village of four themed huts that embody the ethos of the charity. And the Zaha Hadid Design Gallery has also opened its doors to the public for the first time, offering a look at a never-before-seen archive of architectural models of both past and future projects.
...as well as showcasing its best-sellers in a tunnel on the ground floor
Jaguar teamed up with the RCA to set a design challenge for students undertaking automobile or textile courses at the school. The winning design came from Ewan Gallimore and Claire Miller, with their prototype on display in the Farmiloe building alongside the new F-Type
Having already designed for several international manufacturers, Norwegian-born designer Magnus Pettersen's studio is debuting as a standalone brand at the festival. His collection includes (from left): 'Beacon' table lamps; 'Locker' credenza and dresser; and 'Leimu' lamps
Hive' leather lamp, by Dare Studio
Harper' lamp, by Dare Studio
Lela' side table, by & Then Design
The third floor of the Farmiloe Building this year casts a spotlight on established and emerging lighting brands, including newcomer Luminosity (pictured)
Transport for London and restaurant chain Canteen presented the next instalment in their ongoing collaboration, with the mobile Canteen in the courtyard space
The House of Detention – a subterranean Victorian prison - returns as a venue for its third year, providing a dramatic backdrop for emerging designers to showcase their goods
Foundation Rugs teamed up with contempory artists and designers to launch a diffusion range of hand-tufted rugs. Pictured: 'Shapes', by Anthony Burrill
Pop-up pavilions were a new addition to the festival this year, with not-for-profit organization Architecture for Humanity installing a village of themed huts that reflect the ethos of the charity
Assemble Studio took over St James' Church Garden with '2 (Hundred) is company?', a continually changing installation of 200 chairs
London-based Giles Miller Studio installed 'The Heart of Architecture', a reflective stainless steel and brass sculpture in front of a medieval gate
Nearby, at the Order of St John Museum, 'Design Exquis' is an exhibition of four designers from opposing disciplines. Based on the 'cadavre exquis' (exquisite corpse) technique, each designer's piece serves as a catalyst for the next participant in the chain, with the overall process outlined on this blackboard
Birmingham-based furniture designers Plant and Moss began the chain with 'Breathe', passing their finished piece to Dominic Wilcox, who in turn inspired Georg Oehler's product...
...finally arriving at 'Venus of Google', by Matthew Plummer-Fernadez, who adapted Oehler's design in his exploration of emerging digtial cultures
Domus premiered Patricia Urquiola's new tile collection, 'Azulej', at its showroom on Great Sutton St
Urquiola says of the collaboration, 'With the collection, we would like to evaluate the memory of hydraulic cement, experimenting an innovative digital printing technique, which enables the production of a high diffusion product'
The festival introduced 'Covered' at Charterhouse Square, a new pavilion focusing on surfaces. Here, Capitol Designer Studio befuddled visitors with a mirrored tile installation...
...while a neighbouring installation, 'Ten Tables' by ceramic artist Lubna Chowdhary, comprised a series of tiled tables created in collaboration with Domus, and modeled after Enzo Mari’s ‘Autoprogettazione
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