London Design Festival 2014 

13 – 21 September 2014

Lose Yourself in Design

Programme and Reviews of shows visited

For more detailed reviews see:
V & A

History of London Design Festival and 100% Design

Shoreditch Design Triangle

Designersblock and DesignJunction

A place Called Home

Sir John Sorrell in his introduction to this year’s London Design Festival says:

“It is easy to get lost in London. It is a big, diverse city with so much going on. Music, dance, theatre, film, art and, of course, design, especially design. That is what it makes so exciting”

And that is the challenge as well for this year’s London Design Festival – to choose what to see of the 300 events in 8 days!  And where to start! So here are some tips on how to make the most of 8 days to lose yourself in design and plan your way around.

The Programme

Download this year’s programme or get yourself a map at one of the participating venues

www.londondesignfestival.com

The ICON map includes also parties and internet cafes.

http://www.icondesigntrail.com/

 

The V&A

The V & A has been the hub venue of the London Design Festival for the last 6 years. Here you will find a great range of design installations among the V&A’s own exhibits. Finding where they are, will lead you through a journey of discovery over time and enables you to discover parts of the V&A you have never visited. Here are some images:

If you want help discovering all there is at the V&A the LDF organises guided tours on a regular basis throughout the day. No need to book, you can just turn up. They start at the London Design Festival Welcome desk at the Grand Entrance and run regularly throughout the day. Highly recommended.

www.londondesignfestival.com/va-museum

For a review see here 

 

Landmark Projects

They are extraordinary installations and representing the public face of the London Design Festival.

www.londondesignfestival.com/landmark-projects

In addition to installations at the V & A they include

A Place called Home at Trafalgar Square

By Jasper Morrison, Patternity, Raw Edges and Studioilse. Supported by Airbnb. Four highly acclaimed designers have been invited to dream up their interpretation of a room within a home that you would not want to leave, offering a new vision of a domestic space. These rooms will be created as four separate structures in Trafalgar Square, all identical on the outside, with each ‘house’ interior reflecting the individuality and personality of the different designers, just as each Airbnb listing is distinctive and individual.

To reflect this variety, designers Jasper Morrrison, Patternity, Raw Edges and Studioilse have each been given a structure within the Square which they can fill, design, decorate or imagine in any way they want.

 Further information

Design Districts

These are the areas which have concentrations of design events, all of which are in walking distance of each other.

There are now 6 official design districts which have evolved over the 12 years of the London Design Festival. Each one has its own personality, and facilitate getting to grips with the wealth of design on display in London.

Each one has its own late night openings and parties.

Brompton Design District

Late night: Thursday 18 September

Now in its 7^th year includes V&A, Conran Shop, Cassina, B&B Italia amongst others

www.bromptondesigndistrict.com

 

Shoreditch Design Triangle

Late night: Tuesday 16 September
Coordinated by SCP and now in its 6^th year you an find here a great collection of designers, stores, galleries, cafes, bars, brands and one-off events,. The central hub is the Ace Hotel on Shoreditch High Street. Tent is based here, as well as SCP, Ceramics in the City at the Geffrye Museum and many others.

www.shoreditchdesigntriangle.com

 

Clerkenwell Design Quarter
Late night: Tuesday 16^th September
Started in 2013 and includes Designersblock, as well as Cappellini, Poltrona Frau, CraftCentral, DesignJunction and the Goldsmith’s Centre.

It will also host the first Clerkenwell Architecture and Design film festival

www.clerkenwelldesignquarter.com

For a review of Designersblock and DesignJunction see here

Islington Design Quarter
Late night: Tuesday 16^th September
New this year.

Easily accessible from Clerkenwell it includes design-led shops such as Coexistence, Twentytwentyone as well as other showrooms and cafes

www.londondesignfestival.com/islington-design-district

 

Chelsea Design Quarter
Late night: Monday 15^th September

Includes Focus/14 and specialises in interior design showroom
www.chelseadesignquarter.co.uk

 

Queen’s Park Design District
Late night: Thursday 18 September and Saturday 20 September.

New

www.queensoparkdesigndistrict.co.uk

www.londondesignfestival.com/design-districts

 

RIBA REGENT STREET WINDOWS PROJECT

13-21 September

Now in its fifth year, the RIBA Regent Street Windows Project has matched cut­ting edge RIBA architects with some of London’s most prestigious retailers to cre­ate stunning architectural installations in shop windows along and around London’s Regent Street. This year 15 architecture practices, have worked with 15 retailers to create a sequence of stunning architectural installations on Regent Street, Heddon Street and Brewer Street.

http://www.londondesignfestival.com/events/riba-regent-street-windows-project

 

Design Destinations

They are the large design exhibitions and the commercial hubs of the festival. In all of the exhibitions you will see hundreds of exhibitors.

100% Design 2014
Earl Court 1 & 2
West London

The largest event of its kind. Celebrating its 20^th Edition this year. It was the reason for starting the London Design Festival which grew out of 100% Guaranteed, a programme of events and exhibitions in the East of London, from which Tent developed.

100% Design will be celebrating its 20^th Edition on Thursday 18^th September. There also will be a Stories Lounge and a Stories Wall where visitors can post their memories. You will find here as well posters with a visual account of Hidden Art’s participation at 100% Design since the first one in 1995.

www.100percentdesign.co.uk

For a review of 100% Design see here

DesignJunction, Old Sorting Office, Central London
The 4^th year –  with more than 180 exhibiting brands it is a lively show and a great space, which includes established as well as emerging brands alongside pop-up shops, eateries and Flash factories, where the processes of industrial production will be brought to life.

www.thedesignjunction.co.uk

For a review ofDesignJunction see here

Designersblock
The Old Sessions House,
22 Clerkenwell Green
EC1R 0NA

18 – 21 September
For a review of Designersblock see here

Multidisciplinary design from over 100 independent designers, collectives and companies. The show takes place in The Old Sessions House, one of London’s most iconic buildings. Constructed in 1779, the 3,000 sq m building was the busiest Courthouse in England for over 100 years.

Further information

Tent London and Superbrands London
Old Truman Brewery, East
18 – 21 September

It is Tent’s 8^th year, and it was the first of the shows that started alongside 100% Design. Based in East London, still the creative heart of London, the 280 exhibitors come from 27 countries. I always enjoy visiting the show, talking to designers we know and finding out about new talent.

www.tentlondon.co.uk

For a review of this year’s Tent see here

Focus/14 

Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour

West London

Home to 500 international brands

Trade only. Public can visit Wednesday 24 September

www.dcch.co.uk

 

Decorex, Syon Park, West
The longest-standing design and interior show. This is the first year it will show at Syon Park
www.decorex.com

www.londondesignfestival.com/design-destinations

Talks and Seminars

This year there seems to be something for everyone. Most design destinations have a seminar programme, and there are also the talks organised by the London Design Festival

www.globaldesignforum.com and see individual events for further information

For review of London Design Festival 2013