out and about :: clerkenwell design week

I love Clerkenwell Design Week. It’s small enough to get around in a day (albeit a jam-packed, exhaustingly inspirational day), it’s full of new design in interesting venues, and the sun always shines.

This year was no exception. Here are my top picks…

Ross Lovegrove’s Solar Tree is a park bench with solar powered street lights. He told us he believes that good design shouldn’t just be in museums (the Solar Tree was originally designed for the MAK, the Museum of Applied and Contemporary Art, in Vienna), but out on the street – and that trusting people with beautiful design in public spaces can help bring about changes in social behaviour. It was certainly a popularly spot for resting weary limbs during CDW – and will be in St John’s Square until late September.

Francesco Drasci‘s Spring Forest was inspired by the transient nature of the urban environment, and made of scaffolding poles and umbrellas. It provided shelter for a programme of storytelling, which took place underneath.

After a little explore of the showrooms in the vicinity, I headed over to Vitra for a screening of Eames: The Architect and The Painter a film about Charles and Ray Eames, which offered a great insight into this incredible force in design. It was a little sad, as anything that reveals the human condition can be, but interesting nonetheless. And I was very excited to finally test drive a Tip Ton! Next I found my way to the House of Detention…

A new product from a new designer, I loved these shiny little shelves from Arthur Analts. They’re for the things you take out of your pockets when you come into the house, so you can find them when you go out again. Clever – and gorgeous!

It’s all about the coloured cord in lighting at the moment, as these lovely lights from Don Herd show. But what I really liked about these was the use of something as delicate as ceramic in such a utilitarian design – the outside was left untreated with the mould imprints left visible – reminiscent of the ‘Beton Brut’ style. But just when you think you’ve got the measure of them, you look inside to see that the inner surface has been glazed to reflect the light.

More contrasts and contradictions with this collaboration from Timorous Beasties and Graphic Relief Inc. Graphic Relief Inc have taken Timorous Beasties’ delicately hand rendered Grand Thistle design, and recreated it in concrete.

Half the fun of CDW is stolen glances like this one in the fabulous venues. Newest on the list was The Order of Saint John, with a pretty garden and spooky crypt to offer.

Then it was off to one my favourite spots, the Farmiloe Building…

I loved these chairs from Very Good & Proper; a collaboration between Canteen co-founder Patrick Clayton-Malone and design team Klauser & Carpenter. It was originally set up to furnish Canteen and now stands alone producing “well designed, practical, reasonably priced products originated by emerging and recognised design talent with longevity in mind”.

Imogen Heath has been working hard and had lots of new designs and new colourways for the show.

Another Chair from Another Country…

…and a new stool from Young & Norgate.

The production model of Anthony Dickens‘ Tekio modular lighting system was launched, following the launch of the prototype in September. I can imagine it worming its way from room to room, making a real lighting statement.

That’s it from me. What did I miss? What were your favourite finds? Add your thoughts in the comments section below.

Further reading for the especially geeky:

• out and about :: ventura lambrate
• out and about :: salonsatellite
• out and about :: stockholm furniture fair
• out and about :: soho design walk