London Design Festival 2020 12-20 September

 

During London Design Festival 2020 12-20 September, whether you are visiting online or in-person this year, you can enjoy and discover virtual and physical activity including #LDF20 Landmark Project, The Hothouse, from Studio Weave located east at International Quarter London (IQL a new neighbourhood at the heart of Stratford) ; Festival Commission Unity by Marlene Huissoud at Coal Drops Yard, King's Cross;  Connected by 9 designers online and at The Design Museum in Kensington; The Circular Design Project in collaboration with SAP and The Ellen MacArthur Foundation online of daily talks and seminars, along with daily digital tours at the V&A; Global Design Forum, 100 Partner events, across 4 Design Districts, 2 Design Destinations and 2 Design Routes. 

London as a cultural capital and an international powerhouse of creativity in these incredibly challenging times is celebrating as a platform for artists, creatives and freelancers across the design spectrum.

To help you navigate all activations and activities over this period of #LDF20, go to the London Design Festival website.

For London Design Festival 2020 - Tom Dixon presents OCTAGON in Coal Drops Yard, King's Cross.

It's the start of London Design Festival 2020. British designer Tom Dixon opens his headquarters/showroom (Coal Office) in Coal Drops Yard, a stone's throw from the King's Cross station, to display his wide range of creative modern home products.

Tom’s theme for this year’s festival is OCTAGON, which represents the multifaceted and constantly evolving nature of his brand. 

The Coal Office is transformed into 8 different architectural spaces and each area is defined by this year’s hero products. 

Tom says: "So many ideas! So many new stories, new partnerships and ways of making and also a few old ones that we would like to tell our new friends and partners. But how to manage so much content? The answer is OCTAGON...with 8 facets of our hyperactive, constantly evolving brand."

It's an open exhibition for visitors to immerse themselves in Tom's universe.

Marlene Huissoud's Installation for Coal Drops Yard, London

In this age of crisis, humans are developing individual bubbles where everything seems safer. Amidst this, designers are rethinking their role and how their practice needs to evolve to help support societies remain united, metaphorically if not physically.

French designer Marlene Huissoud has created a Festival Commission for Coal Drops Yard in King’s Cross, London as part of London Design Festival.  The artwork emphasises the notion of unity and the importance of working together to repurpose and reconsider our shared environments as we emerge from the pandemic.

Titled ‘Unity’, Huissoud invites visitors to stand in a circle 2 metres apart surrounding the installation. Controlled by foot-pumps, visitors will work together in a symbol of strength and hope, to breathe life into the piece. Participants involved will pump the system, slowly unveiling a new form as the installation transforms in shape in front of their eyes: growing, dancing, breathing, and revealing its full potential. If no one is pumping, the installation will deflate and loose its power and vitality. The installation has an intention to send a message of optimism: by standing strong together, we have the tools and power to create a better world and change the system. 

London Design Festival opens on September 12. Tom Dixon showcases OCTAGON at its HQ.

 
This September, British design brand Tom Dixon will unveil OCTAGON at their London HQ. The Coal Office in King’s Cross, will be divided into 8 architectural spaces over two levels: a Pop-up bar, 2 Lounges, a Disco, a Perfumery Lab, a MASS Installation, a Pattern Exhibition and an S-chair ‘Museum’ paying  the world-renowned chair designed by Tom in the 1980’s. The King’s Cross Hub will be transformed into an open exhibition for visitors to immerse themselves in the designer’s universe. A series of physical and digital events will take place throughout the week.

As part of London Design Festival (September 12 – 20), Tom Dixon Studio will be opening its doors for 9 days of virtual and physical events that will include a series of digital and physical talks and workshops open to the public, and with some events by-invitation only.

SCP announces London Design Festival in September

In this extraordinary year, many in the design and craft industry have been busy turning out amazing new ideas and products echoing the message that creativity does not stop during a year of unprecedented change.

Guided by the idea that good design can improve the world around us, the London-based design retailer SCP, a producer of high quality contemporary furniture, lighting, textiles and accessories, which was established in London in 1985 by Sheridan Coakley, has announced their London Design Festival exhibition, “One Room Living”, at their Shoreditch showroom on Curtain Road in a trendy hot spot in East London.

“One Room Living” features designers Matthew Hilton, Sarah Kay, Phillipe Malouin, Donna Wilson, Faudet-Harrison and Reiko Kaneko; with a debut SCP product from Daniel Schofield and a exclusive collection by Floris Wubben.
The London Design Festival also marks the start of a new series of Monthly Window Exhibitions at SCP Curtain Road. Beginning with ceramic constructions from Floris Wubben in September, sculptural glass pieces by Jochen Holz in October and wonderful wooden assemblages by Alex Hellum in November.

East Londoner Jochen Holz (pictured above) transforms prefabricated glass tubes into one-off glassware pieces using the lampworking technique. Glass is melted over a torch and gently blown, then shaped and fused together, creating a beautiful body of work that is both spontaneous and precise.  Photo courtesy SCP.

The new SCP collection includes a tubular steel easy chair, wooden side table and sofa from Matthew Hilton. An armchair and stool from Philippe Malouin, wooden side table from Sarah Kay and a snug tub armchair from Faudet-Harrison. Daniel Schofield has created an adaptable sofa, Donna Wilson textiles and Reiko Kaneko a much anticipated ceramic set.

Dahlia bowl by Reiko Kaneko. The Dahlia series are black bone china plates and bowls cast in Reiko Kaneko’s garden workshop. Decorated by Kaneko with brushed white slip and glazed. This decoration technique was Kaneko’s solution for painting white flowers from the garden, which isn’t possible on white bone china.  SC

Exclusive Editions for SCP by Floris Wubben (pictured right) feature new side tables.  Each piece is extruded from one shape which Wubben then cuts away several parts, giving the table an entirely new form. The collection also includes new vases that use the same technique and feature additional structural elements. The unique products have a raw, architectural aesthetic, available in the Wubben’s signature palette of glaze colours.
Founded in Amsterdam in 2009, Studio Floris Wubben is a design studio that produces experimental ceramics and objects that seek to push the boundaries of function and sculpture.  All of the designs that they produce are made at their own workshop, where in recent years, a great focus has been put on the development of processes and the design of machines for production. Nature and the use of natural materials are a key theme in the work of the studio, which alongside ceramic pieces, also produces lighting and furniture designs.

“At SCP, our ethos is simple: good design can improve the world around us.”

As for details of the London Design Festival, the dates are 12 - 20 September 2020 (subject to change or extension); daily Opening Hours are to be confirmed.
SCP says:
“At this early stage in proceedings, in both the planning of the London Design Festival, and in the planning of our event, we are remaining open and flexible as to how visitors can enjoy “One Room Living”. Our physical exhibition at SCP Shoreditch will be staged in accordance to whatever the guidelines are in place at the time, and we will make every effort to ensure visitors are safe and secure, but can also have a good time. We hope our 6000 sq ft showroom will help to facilitate that.
“We are also going to remain flexible on the opening dates and times for the show, as we will potentially extend hours and dates, so that as many people as possible get to enjoy the show. We are also going to be providing SCP’s audience with a range of digital experiences to enjoy; ensuring those that may not be able to visit in person (will not) miss out.”

SCP prides itself as a pioneer in the modern British design scene, known for taking traditional typologies and reinventing them for the modern era. SCP’s designs are made to exceptional standards from natural materials, using both traditional methods and advanced manufacturing techniques. Their specialist factory in Norfolk is where all the upholstery is made, it is there that a small dedicated team of woodworkers, pattern cutters, upholsterers and product developers create the designs, which are sustainably made.