Dearest Yellowtracers! Welcome to our highlights of London Design Festival 2017, where we bring you our round-up of the finest events and products #LDF17 had to offer, leaving no stone unturned, no press release unread, and no link unclicked. It will be just like we went there together.
Now in its fifteenth year, the Festival returned to venues and institutions across the city between the 16-24 September 2017. Our selection covers some of our favourite product releases, experimental designs, events, installations, pop-ups and all that jazz. In other words – we’ve got you covered. As always. Let’s do this!
‘Reflection Room’ by Australian-born London-based lighting artist and designer Flynn Talbot was an immersive, coloured light experience housed in the V&A Museum’s Prince Consort Gallery. The vaulted space was lit at each end to highlight and define the dramatic 35m length of the gallery, its ceiling structure and the audience walking within. “It is illuminated with my signature of complementary blue and orange lighting, and large gloss black Barrisol panels are used to expand the width of the space, offering a fragmented view of shifting colours, reflections and light,” said Talbot.
‘While We Wait’ by AAU Anastas was a tower made of robotically stacked cut stone blocks at V&A.The Bethlehem-based studio founders, Elias and Yousef Anastas, designed the installation as part of their research into contemporary stone construction methods.
Located in one of the V&A’s tapestry galleries, Ross Lovegrove used textile to create an enormous serpentine sculpture dubbed Transmission. Lovegrove was inspired by the 15th century Devonshire Hunting Tapestries in the creation of his 21.3-metre-long installation.
Not officially part of London Design Festival 2017, but a notable recenrtly opening none the less is Victoria & Albert Museum’s Members Room designed by Carmody Groarke. This spectacular interior features a mirror installations that provide reflected views of the spaces inside and outside the building.
Daydreaming Hub by Universal Design Studio was a slatted-timber pavilion in Shoreditch that offered a retreat for local office workers.
Ehibition view of My Canvas presented by Kvadrat.
Ehibition view of My Canvas presented by Kvadrat.
Pigeon Service by Christien Meindertsma for “My Canvas”, Kvadrat, London 2017.
Simply Better Living by Studio Stabil for “My Canvas”, Kvadrat, London 2017.
Background(s) by Maria Jeglinska for “My Canvas”, Kvadrat, London 2017.
BROK Festival by Felipe Ribon for “My Canvas”, Kvadrat, London 2017.
Catwalk Bench by BCXSY for “My Canvas”, Kvadrat, London 2017.
Masks by GamFratesi for “My Canvas”, Kvadrat, London 2017.
Lion Dance Costume by Chen Chen & Kai Williams for “My Canvas”, Kvadrat, London 2017.
For the third consecutive year, Kvadrat presented an exhibition that brought together works by 19 up-and-coming and established designers from around the world, including the likes of GamFratesi and BCXSY. My Canvas explored the use of a Kvadrat favorite – Canvas – an upholstery textile created by Italian master colourist Giulio Ridolfo.
Presented in partnership with British Land, Camille Walala’s Villa Walala was an immersive, playful and colourful installation set within the heart of Broadgate.
Sam Jacob and MINI teamed up to create a micro home with an attached library. The tiny cabin was designed for a future in which homes become a shared resource.
The Trade Show exhibition by Faye Toogood brought together works from 50 designers, artists and architects. Toogood asked the likes of including Tom Dixon, Assemble and Henry Bourne to each donate a piece of their own work. In return, the British designer gifted them with a limited-edition version of one of her signature Spade chairs, which she cast in aluminium for the occasion. The show celebrates the centuries-old tradition of artists supporting one another by bartering their works in a mutually beneficial manner.