Doshi Levien creates fabirc 'Pilotis' with Kvadrat

Anglo-Indian design duo Doshi Levien is once again playing with the technical wares of Danish textile stalwarts Kvadrat. Launching at London Design Festival, the pair has created a first range of curtain fabrics, along with an immersive installation to celebrate this, titled ‘Pilotis’.

Made up of four fabrics, their inspirations for the contrasting collection are wide-reaching. The rough lines, graphics and dusty hues of 'Utopia' and 'Lake' stemmed from the mouldings of solid architectural surfaces like concrete and aluminium, while 'Rocket' and 'Fiction' take their light, perforated cues from science fiction and hi-tech fashion fabrics. Both alternating worlds open new gateways in curtain experimention; working with multiple choices, layering colours and textures to build an individual look that is both sculptural and contemporary.

These textile narratives are visualised via the 'Pilotis' that flow around the showroom as a maze of material. Much like the sweeping architectural contours of Le Corbusier’s Chandigarh that the pair often reference in the collection, the draping fabric’s curves and rushes of colour creates a theatrical and architectural city of their own in the East London space.

‘The machine-like texture of "Utopia" is combined with the smooth iridescence of "Lake",’ the design duo explains, ‘[and] the perforations of "Rocket" are layered with opaque "Fiction", together forming a naive and playful fabric Metropolis.’

room with wooden flooring and curtain — Comprising four fabrics, 'Utopia', 'Rocket', 'Fiction' and 'Lake', the inspirations for the contrasting collection are wide-reaching. Pictured left: 'Pilotis' installation view. Right: 'Rocket' fabric

pilotis sketch — These textile narratives are visualised in 'Pilotis', which flows around the showroom as a maze of material. Pictured: 'Pilotis' sketches

Fiction fabric — Both alternating worlds open new gateways in curtain experimentation; working with multiple choices, layering colours and textures to build an individual look that is both sculptural and contemporary. Pictured left: 'Pilotis' installation view. Right: 'Fiction' fabric

INFORMATION

’Pilotis’ runs until 25 September. For more information, visit the London Design Festival website

ADDRESS

Kvadrat
10 Shepherdess Walk
London, N1 7LB

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Sujata Burman is a writer and editor based in London, specialising in design and culture. She was Digital Design Editor at Wallpaper* before moving to her current role of Head of Content at London Design Festival and London Design Biennale where she is expanding the content offering of the showcases. Over the past decade, Sujata has written for global design and culture publications, and has been a speaker, moderator and judge for institutions and brands including RIBA, D&AD, Design Museum and Design Miami/. In 2019, she co-authored her first book, An Opinionated Guide to London Architecture, published by Hoxton Mini Press, which was driven by her aim to make the fields of design and architecture accessible to wider audiences.