I hadn’t been to designersblock before and it was my last stop on a very busy London Design Festival weekend, so there was a danger of ‘design fatigue’ setting in. Luckily there was no chance of that at this show. Unusual curation, a fantastic location and some challenging, inspiring and plain gorgeous design all conspired to make it the highlight of my festival.
The atmosphere really was festival-like with music and ice-cream. The location, the Familoe Building on St John Street, was home to lead and glass merchants George Familoe & Sons until April 1999 and provided a perfect combination of vast open spaces and a labyrinth of Victorian nooks – all of which contrasted beautifully with the shiny new designs.
In an inspired bit of curation, everything in this auction room, including the chairs and hammer, was for sale to the highest bidder, but no monetary bids were allowed, so it was all about barter, something very familiar to creative-types.
I loved this furniture from Ornella Stocco inspired by plumbing elbows of all things.
Next up, this inspired outdoor table, the ‘Plantable’ from JAILmake, connected what’s on the table with where it came from.
I also really liked this modern take on the ancient Korean art of seal engraving. In exchange for a donation to Unicef, you got your name carved in a stamp, which you could then use to add to the collaboratively created Apricot tree screen behind. Great work from Sujin Park, Yougeun Choi and Soojung Lee, all Furntiure Design Majors at Sangmyung University.
And of course there was gallons of gorgeous furniture, often with a hint of the whimsical, which made me smile at the end of a long day…
Lukhas Dahlen‘s Tripod.
I loved this ‘spring collection’ table, by Karl-Johan Hjerling, Karin Widmark and Susanne von Ajkay, which responds so elegantly its material.
David Ericsson‘s locker was intriguingly titled ‘Carl Malmsten Made Me Do It.’ A little more digging revealed that Carl Malmsten is known for the quote ‘a hand that creates makes a brain that thinks,’ and in the case of David Ericsson, he’s clearly right.
Daniel Schoffield aims to make furniture that makes people smile, and with this table, he’s definitely achieving that. It looks like it might walk across the room – I love it!
And another piece that looks slightly alive; this sideboard / hatstand from Edward Taylor.
And I loved the simplicity, almost naivety, of these light shades from Donna Walker.
The ‘Making Your Mark Desk’ from Alice Naylor combined the nostalgic with the clean lines of a modern console.
Alongside the whimsical, there was plenty of macabre…
A whole tableware set with each piece in the shape of sheep’s skull from Maria Volokhova.
A set of plates from The New English that when laid out together create a full skeleton. And finally these incredibly intricate creations in concrete from Graphic Relief.
So that’s it for London Design Festival 2011. I went to more shows than I’ve ever made it to before, published a book, and had the had the absolute honour of covering the festival for Design Milk. It was brilliant, inspiring, exhausting and exciting and I can’t wait to do it all again next year!
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I think I have been to that location before for a shoot. It is a very good spot to hold an exhibition like this if it is the same place.
Like your selection of images as well, particularly the light fittings and desk.
Thank you xx