Creative city: Clerkenwell Design Week 2015 takes over London

Icon’s House of Culture, located in the stunning Old Sessions house (which is rumoured to have now been bought, soon to be turned into a private members’ club) provided a much welcomed addition to the district, offering a new format to the usual fair-like setups of Clerkenwell. Photography: Jessica Klingelfuss
(Image credit: Jessica Klingelfuss)

For the sixth time, Clerkenwell Design Week takes over London with its eclectic selection of design and furniture, merging commercial drive with design festival flair.

More than 80 showrooms across the area have opened up their doors to showcase new and recent launches, while the festival’s own venues continue to combine impressive settings with contemporary brands’ work. The Design Factory returns to the historical Farmiloe Building, with a few new launches  - most notably, David Rockwell’s perfectly formed collection for Stellar Works, previewed here in advance of a bigger launch later in the year - and many brands presenting their recent Salone del Mobile news to the London crowd. The other spaces in the area, like the Crypt of St James’ Church and the cavernous house of Detention, present small selections of works that range from young designers’ first creative experiments to more established British brands.

Icon’s House of Culture, located in the stunning Old Sessions house (rumoured to imminently be transformed into a private members’ club) provided a welcome addition to the district, offering a new format to the usual fair-like setups of Clerkenwell. Inside its imposing halls, Moroso and PP Møbler shared a space enriched with a botanical touch, while upstairs, Danish brand Gubi turned a whole room into an elegant Danish lounge. Fritz Hansen has a sneak peek of their ‘7 Cool Architects’ project here too, a literally-titled initiative which is giving new life to Arne Jacobsen’s 'Series 7 Chair', now in its 60th year of life. Snøhetta, Jean Nouvel and Neri & Hu feature amongst the ‘cool architects,’ each of whom was invited to re-invent the chair’s function while leaving its iconic seat intact.

As is now tradition, the city’s creatives take over Clerkenwell through site-specific installations too, aiming to link the area together whilst doubling up as open-air hubs of activity. Designer/maker Sebastian Cox and sculptor Laura Ellen Bacon were commissioned by AHEC to play with hardwood and explore its versatility. Their ‘Invisible Store of Happiness’ features American Cherry and Maple woods, steam-bent into twisted and curled strips which create a dramatic installation placed under the impressive St John's Arch. In nearby St John’s Square, Architects Cousins & Cousins present a multi-coloured pavilion in collaboration with Gx Glass. The jewel-like structure is an alternation of opaque and see-through panels of glass in a combination of pink and yellow tones.

Off-site highlights include British tiles company Bert & May’s new ‘Spaces’ venture which offers contemporary compact living solutions, inaugurated with a Barge designed in collaboration with stylist Laura Fulmine and RaT Architecture. Down the street, Vitra hosted a small retrospective of Jean Prouvé’s furniture as part of the Swiss company’s partnership with G-Star. The collaboration’s second installment is focused on office furniture, reviving ten pieces from the 1940s, ranging from seating to lighting and presented alongside the Prouvé Bistro, by far the area’s most covetable food pit-stop. 

An elegant Danish lounge

Upstairs, Danish brand Gubi took over a room which they turned into an elegant Danish lounge. Photography: Jessica Klingelfuss

(Image credit: Jessica Klingelfuss)

Blue check chair in front of blue desk with open book on desk

More from Gubi's installation, creating an exquisite contrast with the building's decadent state. Photography: Jessica Klingelfuss

(Image credit: Jessica Klingelfuss)

Various colours of Arne Jacobsen’s Series 7 Chairs

Fritz Hansen presented a sneak peek of their ‘7 Cool Architects’ project, a literally-titled initiative which is giving new life to Arne Jacobsen’s Series 7 Chair, now in its 60th year of life. Photography: Jessica Klingelfuss

(Image credit: Jessica Klingelfuss)

Indoor space enriched with a botanical touch

Inside the imposing halls of the House, Moroso and PP Møbler shared a space enriched with a botanical touch, courtesy of Indoor Garden Design. The building formed an off-site installation of the Chelsea Fringe for the Royal Flower Show. Photography: Jessica Klingelfuss

(Image credit: Jessica Klingelfuss)

Laura Ellen Bacon's 'Invisible Store of Happiness' under St John's Arch

Designer/maker Sebastian Cox and sculptor Laura Ellen Bacon's 'Invisible Store of Happiness' was placed under the impressive St John's Arch. Photography: PetrKrejci

(Image credit: PetrKrejci)

An installation of American Cherry and Maple woods, steam-bent into twisted and curled strips

The installation features American Cherry and Maple woods, steam-bent into twisted and curled strips which create a dramatic installation commissioned by AHEC to play with hardwood and explore its versatility. Photography: PetrKrejci

(Image credit: PetrKrejci)

A multi-coloured pavilion in St John’s Square

In St John’s Square, architects Cousins & Cousins present a multi-coloured pavilion in collaboration with Gx Glass. Photography: Jessica Klingelfuss

(Image credit: Jessica Klingelfuss)

Carl Hansen & Son's showroom with classic furniture

Carl Hansen & Son's showroom officially opened its doors, offering a three-storey design destination for classic furniture craftsmanship

(Image credit: TBC)

Carl Hansen & Son's showroom with classic furniture

The new showroom is located in a building that once belonged to James Johnstone, the proprietor of the Evening Standard

(Image credit: TBC)

Scandinavian furniture in front of maroon coloured wall

Joining the Scandinavian brand are pieces by Rud. Rasmussen, Denmark's oldest cabinet-making workshop

(Image credit: TBC)

'Hypnos: The Architecture of Sleep' - Colourful hammocks, or sleeping pods

'Hypnos: The Architecture of Sleep' is a multisensory and interactive exhibition that explores the architectural spaces needed for physical and mental rest

(Image credit: TBC)

Colourful hammocks, or sleeping pods

Sto Wrkstatt, design practice Hassell and London-based Draisci Studio teamed up to create the these colourful hammocks, or sleeping pods, where visitors are cloistered from the hectic commotion of everyday

(Image credit: TBC)

A modern-day agora, reanimating Clerkenwell Green with colour and history

Reanimating Clerkenwell Green with colour and history: RBM and Article 25's 'Agora on the Green'. Photography: Grant Smith

(Image credit: Grant Smith)

A modern-day agora in the making

Inspired by the area's history, London-based practice Russ + Henshaw - winners of last year's  Gold Award at the London Design Awards - have created a modern-day agora, where the public can engage and interact. Photography: Grant Smith

(Image credit: Grant Smith)

Jean Prouvé’s furniture in front of a green wall and a light attached to the wall

Vitra hosted a small retrospective of Jean Prouvé’s furniture, as part of the Swiss company’s partnership with G-Star. Photography: Jessica Klingelfuss

(Image credit: Jessica Klingelfuss)

Office furniture from the 1940s

The collaboration’s second instalment is focused on office furniture, reliving ten pieces from the 1940s ranging from seating to lighting. Photography: Jessica Klingelfuss

(Image credit: Jessica Klingelfuss)

Colourful functional furniture by VG&P

Functional furniture by VG&P (Very Good & Proper) at the Farmiloe Building. Photography: Jessica Klingelfuss

(Image credit: Jessica Klingelfuss)

Metal and wooden furniture at the Farmiloe Building in front of a brick wall

Stabörd & Co presented metal and wooden furniture at the Farmiloe Building. Photography: Jessica Klingelfuss

(Image credit: Jessica Klingelfuss)

Aluminium lighting by Stabörd & Co

Aluminium lighting by Stabörd & Co at the Farmiloe Building. Photography: Jessica Klingelfuss

(Image credit: Jessica Klingelfuss)

David Rockwell’s perfectly formed collection for Stellarworks

David Rockwell’s perfectly formed collection for Stellarworks, the architect's first furniture line, was previewed at Clerkenwell in advance of a bigger launch later in the year. Photography: Jessica Klingelfuss

(Image credit: Jessica Klingelfuss)

Stellarworks's 'Blink' collection by Yabu Pushelberg.

Stellarworks also presented new colorways of their 'Blink' collection by Yabu Pushelberg. Photography: Jessica Klingelfuss

(Image credit: Jessica Klingelfuss)

New lighting pieces by Resident

New lighting pieces by New Zealand-based brand Resident. Photography: Jessica Klingelfuss

(Image credit: Jessica Klingelfuss)

A wall installation of acoustic panels by Baux

A wall installation of acoustic panels by Baux at the Farmiloe Building

(Image credit: TBC)

Colourful Italian furniture in a room with white brick walls

Italian furniture brand Tacchini presented their Salone del Mobile novelties by Pearson Lloyd and Claesson Koivisto Rune

(Image credit: TBC)

Colourful chairs by Emko on pink carpet pieces

A small selection of Lithuanian designers and brands showed their work in the cavernous spaces of the House of Detention, including these chairs by Emko

(Image credit: TBC)

Rosa Bertoli was born in Udine, Italy, and now lives in London. Since 2014, she has been the Design Editor of Wallpaper*, where she oversees design content for the print and online editions, as well as special editorial projects. Through her role at Wallpaper*, she has written extensively about all areas of design. Rosa has been speaker and moderator for various design talks and conferences including London Craft Week, Maison & Objet, The Italian Cultural Institute (London), Clippings, Zaha Hadid Design, Kartell and Frieze Art Fair. Rosa has been on judging panels for the Chart Architecture Award, the Dutch Design Awards and the DesignGuild Marks. She has written for numerous English and Italian language publications, and worked as a content and communication consultant for fashion and design brands.