The London Design Festival 2013: in pictures
The London Design Festival 2013: in pictures
Team Wallpaper* took to the capital's streets during the London Design Festival to bring you all the highlights. In this photographic taster of the action, you'll find everything from the finest pieces of design to the startling installations.
One bright offering to catch our eye came courtesy of Jo Nagasaka and Established & Sons. Following the success of his Udukuri table, launched by the brand in 2012, the Japanese architect has created a fully fledged collection of furniture incorporating pigmented resin.
On show at Established & Sons' East London headquarters, the collection includes a coffee table, side table, credenza with sliding doors and a new chair, all available in a variety of red, green and yellow hues
The resin beautifully highlights the natural grain of the wood
Also on show at Established & Sons is an installation by British designer Faye Toogood. Called the Conductor, the installation invites visitors to create their own light show. 160 fluorescent bulbs are connected up to a switchboard of cast resin switches via a mass of tangled wires. When flicked, each switch makes a different pitch of sound, turning the installation into an audio as well as visual experience
The Conran Shop on Sloane Avenue is presenting 'Judd at Conran' (until 6 October), a capsule collection of eight pieces of furniture designed by the late Donald Judd. The artist began making furniture in the 1960s to furnish his home in Marfa, Texas, but soon branched into producing furniture commercially. His furniture is still made and produced by the Judd Foundation, and now sold by the Conran Shop. Pictured is a writing desk by the artist. Photography: Bruno Rondinelli
A single bed, tables and chairs by Donald Judd, made from solid wood and plywood. Photography: Bruno Rondinelli
A table and standing desk by Donald Judd. Photography: Bruno Rondinelli
Over at the London Design Festival's main hub, the V&A, lighting brand Bocci has suspended 280 of its 28 series of handblown glass lights from the museum's cupola to create a giant chandelier. Photography: Nick Barr
The installation plunges 30m from the ceiling and through a hole in the floor before emerging in the atrium of the gallery. Photography: Nick Barr
The glass lights are affixed to copper wires. Photography: Nick Barr
In the ornate Norfolk House Music Room of the V&A, designers Scholten & Baijings have created a still life scene of deserted dinner party. Photography: Ed Reeves
The table is set with tableware by the designers themselves. Food is strewn over the table and bags are left unattended as if the guests have just departed. Photography: Ed Reeves
'The visitor enters just seconds after the guests have left to smoke a cigarette in the garden,' says Stefan Scholten. 'One can use this unguarded moment to look at the luxurious dinner table and interior undisturbed. The music is still playing softly...'. Photography: Ed Reeves
Darkroom boutique, on Lamb's Conduit Street, is hosting a playful postmodern tribute to Ettore Sottsass - titled So Sottsass - in collaboration with Studiopepe, Zuzunaga and Stone Theatre, among others. Cutting a dashing in the windows are Studiopepe's angular Kora Vases
Darkroom So Sottsass cushions
Darkroom marble platters by Stone Theatre
London restaurant Les Trois Garcons has not only branched out to open a store and lifestyle cafe, it has also just launched a line of furniture by Portugese studio De Pau. Photography: Luke Hayes
A table and storage unit by De Pau for Les Trois Garcons
Shelving unit by De Pau for Les Trois Garcons
Benjamin Hubert's 'Ripple' table, on show at Aram Store, is 'the world's lightest timber table' according to the designer. The 2.4m-long and 1m-wide table weighs in at just 9kg, thanks to its corrugated plywood construction, created through pressure lamination in conjunction with Canadian manufacturer Corelam
A detail of the Ripple table
Designer Matthew Hilton has launched his first-ever watch at the Margaret Howell store on Wigmore Street. The pared-back timepiece has a bead blasted stainless steel casing and an Italian aniline calf leather strap by Bill Amberg. The weighty design combines the case and face in a single component
19 Greek Street gallery's 'Flung: The Upside of Down' exhibition at Sketch restaurant presents five installations by four designers that offer a disruptive take on the normality of the restaurant scene. Pictured (left) is the 'Analogia' project by design Andrea Mancuso and architect Emilia Serra, which literally turns chairs upside down. The duo create fictional spaces and scenes that appear sketched in the air, using black wool on a digitally-designed transparent web of threads. On the right is 'Things', by Richard Hutten, comprising two 1970s chairs from Dutch brand Casala, which the designer has playfully fused together and covered in silver foil, 'like the silver factory by Andy Warhol'. The exhibition provides of what's in store at the gallery's six-floor space in Soho. Photography: Jamie McGregor Smith
Over in Soho, 19 Greek Street is hosting Wonderland - an exhibition of eclectic design pieces from emerging and established designers. To make a colourful impression on the neighbourhood, the gallery invited German product designer to give the facade a radical (albeit temporary) transformation, with the help of Danish textile giant Kvadrat. The installation acts almost like a party dress, exploring the idea of giving existing architectural structures a complete re-design using only a limited supply of material resources. Check back soon to watch the making of the installation on film. Photography: Jamie McGregor Smith
'Shaping fluid: Liquified form', by Danish ceramicist Christina Schou Christensen, explores the form-giving possibilities of ceramic glaze caught at its melting point - and then stopped. Photography: Jamie McGregor Smith
The basement room of 19 Greek Street is given over to the work of Studio Noam Dover. Photography: Jamie McGregor Smith
'Cotton Candy', by Maries van Putten and Rutger de Regt, is made from recycled polypropylene, a thermoplastic that melts when heated. The raw material is placed inside a mould, which is then heated from the outside, bonding the product. Photography: Jamie McGregor Smith
The Wood Castings collection, by Hilla Shamia at 19 Greek Street, combines cast aluminium and wood. Photography: Jamie McGregor Smith
Currently on show at the Libby Sellers Gallery, this series of freestanding copper, mild steel and stone mirrors by Norwegian designers Amy Hunting and Oscar Narud are inspired by Norway's historical mining industry
The Copper Mirrors were originally developed by the London-based designers for Fashion Scandinavia at Somerset House during London Fashion Week 2013, but the designs have been refined in advance of their current show
For the concurrent Grandmateria III exhibition, Gallery Libby Sellers asked a handful of designers to create work based around the mythologies of the Philosopher's stone: a stone said to have alchemical powers to transmute lead into gold. Using ancestral ceramic techniques from her native Mexico, Liliana Ovalle created the red clay and oak Sinkhole Vessels. The pieces are a representation of the geological phenomena of sinkholes: voids that emerge abruptly from the ground, dissolving their surroundings into an irretrievable space
The giant Design Junction exhibition, showcasing 150-plus exhibitors, has commandeered the Sorting Office on New Oxford Street once again. Here, we spotted this elegant and refined writing desk by Benjamin Boyce
'Base Bowls' by Chilean design studio Bravo!
'Base Bowls' by Chilean design studio Bravo!
'Vita' side table by Uncontrollable Urge, part of the Visual Objects for the Home exhibit at Design Junction
'Silt' set by VW+BS
'Element' vessels by Vitamin
Wicker lamps by Claesson Koivisto Rune for Chilean brand Made in Mimbre
Designer and bone china specialist Richard Brendon's collaboration with pattern pioneers Patternity
Now in its 18th year, 100% Design is still one of the largest and most comprehensive design destinations open during London Design Festival. Showing in the event's Interiors section, André Klauser and Ed Carpenter's brand, Very Good and Proper, launched the MT Club Chair and the A-Frame table
One of our favourite emerging brands at the show was Melbourne-based designer Ash Allen, who showcased his sinuous 'Dollop' pendant lamp made from earthenware slip casting
Also by Ash Allen, the Lionheart is an outdoor stool made from a sheet of 1.6mm expanded steel mesh. Inspired by a series of experiments with folded paper, the stool's deceptively strong design is secured with just six simple button screws
Architect Alex Meitlis launched his new Brassware collection for silversmiths, Hazorfim. The sculptural collection is made up of simple spheres, ellipses and cylinders made in polished brass
Lowinfo exhibited an impressive array of smooth concrete washbasins with bright yellow taps in 100% Design's kitchen and bathroom section
Part of a collection of desk accessories called 'Geometrics', this smart walnut and brushed brass envelope holder by Birmingham-based studio Plant & Moss features subtle laser etched markings reminiscent of school geometry sets
Made from blown glass, these two-toned 'Cleo Pendant' lamps by Melbourne-based designer Mark Douglas were adorning the Australian Pavilion at 100% Design
Back at the V&A, the Clore Study Area is playing host to an exhibition dedicated to the Typographic Circle's Circular Magazine. The space is designed by Pentagram partner Domenic Lippa, who has designed the magazine itself since 1999. Photography: Ed Reeves
A graphic cork installation by FAT architecture for cork producer Amorim lines one of the V&A's walkways. Photography: Ed Reeves
A detail of the installation. Photography: Ed Reeves
Platform gallery at Habitat is playing host to Graphic Africa, an exhibition mounted by Design Network Africa (on show until 20 October). Curators Trevyn and Julian McGowan have picked out work by 15 DNA designers from 10 countries on the continent. Among the pieces on show are: Woven chair by Cheick Diallo from Mali; 'Sweat Lamp', made with enamel metal and stone, by Doktor & MIsses from Johannesburg; and 'Tray' side table, made with enamel metal and brass, also by Doktor & Misses. Photography: Karl Rogers
Hand painted solid Beech Kassena Server by Doktor & Misses and stacked wood fired black clay vase by Kpando Pottery, from Ghana. Photography: Karl Rogers
Made from a variety of exotic hardwoods such as Zebrawood from West Africa, the 'Zebra, Tiger and Larch' tables by London-based designers Lightning and Kinglyface are decorated with geometric inlay patterns
At Tent London, German designer Meike Harde presented a line of metal framed storage furniture that swaps commonly used materials such as wood and chipboard for lightweight textiles. Comprising a wardrobe, cabinet and stool, the collection is appropriately named 'London'
Following on from his square blue 'Lanka' table, which was launched by Meritalia in Milan earlier this year, University of Art and Design Helsinki graduate Ari Kanerva has introduced a new round red version to the Lanka family. Like its predecessor, the table features a tubular steel frame and tinted glass top
Three Korean designers, Eunhak Kim, Sunghee Do and Hanna Lee, collaborated with three master craftsmen to create a collection of contemporary furniture made using traditional skills. The 'Ottchil' table, named after the ancient process of Korean lacquering, features three spun metal legs and a top that is painted with Korean lacquer
Finely crafted from solid ash, the 'Avignon' dressing table by Hungarian design studio Codolagni features a circular mirror lined with LEDs, wool draw pulls and a wool upholstered stool
Combining polished granite with bold blocks of brightly lacquered steel, this trio of circular pedestal tables by young Norwegian design studio Vera & Kyte was displayed alongside a collection of pot plants on the studio's stand at Tent London
The 'Bishop of Norwich' by Kacper Hamilton, on show at Mint design store, gets its name from the tale of a 19th century bishop who was notorious for forgetting to pass the port. To prevent such a faux pas, Hamilton's port glasses and decanter have been designed in a way that prevents them from being put down unless placed in their individual brass bases, ensuring that the port is always passed, shared and quaffed
The glass port glass has a triangular base
The base of the port glasses and decanter