Article posted and thanks to John Rice: http://www.minimalhome.com Twitter http://twitter.com/#!/John_Rice_
Outside The V&A Museum – Timber Wave by Amanda Levete Architects
This month is the most exciting in the London Design Calendar, there are so many great events taking place and we thought that we would bring you our favourite recommendations for great architecure and design. You have a little time now to plan your diary and make sure you don’t miss out on the best. I recommend you check out the websites below and pre book any events that may be over subscribed, most are free events. Naturally any really exciting new designers we find will be showcased on minimalhome.com soon after the event.
The 9th London Design Festival, which will be held from 17-25 September, will be the largest yet with over 180 partners and more than 250 events over 8 days. As part of the festival, there will be commissioned landmark design installations all over London. One of these include an installation called Timber Wave that transforms the grand entrance of the Victoria & Albert Museum (the V&A) by Amanda Levete Architects.
The installation will be a three-dimensional latticework spiral made of red oak spanning the height of the museum doors. The installation is supported by the American Hardwood Export Council with lighting designed by SEAM Design. Also for the first time, St. Paul’s Cathedral will also host an installation by UK-based architect John Pawson, which is a metal and Swarovski crystal half-hemisphere at the base of the Geometric Staircase in the Southwest Tower of the Cathedral. The installation will allow visitors a greater view of the Catheral than the natural eye could see. Other installations include the Textile Field installation inside the V&A by the Bouroullec Brothers of France, which is an expansive, colored foam and textile installation with gentle inclinations that produce a sensual environment on which visitors may comfortably lounge and immerse themselves in the Raphael Gallery. This 30-meter long installation is supported by Danish textile maker Kvadrat. In addition to installations, the festival will continue to include the design districts such as the Brompton Design District, Covent Garden as well as the Clerkenwell Design District. Also, shows including 100% Design, Tent London, Decorex, the Anti-Design Festival and more will be there as well!
Event details. London Design Festival 17-25 September 2011 www.londondesignfestival.com
City Hall by – Linus Lim
Open House London Weekend – the capital’s greatest architectural showcase takes place this year on 17 & 18 September.
It is a unique opportunity to get out and under the skin of London’s amazing architecture with over 700 buildings of all kinds opening their doors, plus neighbourhood walks, cycle tours, architects’ talks and debates taking place – all for free. An essential and anticipated fixture in the capital’s cultural calendar Open House London is a truly city-wide celebration of the buildings, places and neighbourhoods where we live and work. Through this year’s theme ‘The Liveable City’ London’s communities will find out more and advocate for issues that are relevant to their local area – from the design of homes to the impact of climate change, and the role of architects and contemporary design in revitalising places, showing how good design can make London a more liveable city.
Check in the Guide and online to find out more about this year’s highlights: Victoria Thornton, Director of Open House comments: “Open House is the annual opportunity for Londoners to get inside London’s architecture and see how good design plays an important contributing role in creating and sustaining a ‘liveable’ city.Last year 89% of participants said the Open House event was the best way to get under the skin, become more knowledgeable and engage in the dialogue about the capital’s architecture” www.openhouselondon.org.uk
Tramshed 2011 returns to London Design Festival, reinhabiting its original home in Shoreditch. The venue will this year house over 40 product launches from a diverse range of exhibitors. Seeking to be a departure from conventional trade exhibitions, Tramshed 2011 will celebrate the diversity of the industry in the broadest sense. Exhibitors, seminars, talks, good food and music combine to create an engaging and influential destination. Read on for more on what to expect from Tramshed 2011. London Design Festival 22-25 September 32 Rivington Street, London EC2A 3LX www.tramshed2011.com
Tent London 2011 will not only be packed with the latest, dynamic interior products from over 200 international design companies, across all continents. In addition, this year Tent will host a showcase of exciting gallery events, in and around its vibrant Truman Brewery location in the heart of London’s creative East End. From twenty-first century interpretations of historic art masterpieces to the latest in hybrid technology, these diverse events will be a hotbed of ideas, innovations and inspiration from around the world. With the capital’s hippest retailers and hottest bars on its doorstep, Tent London is a unique design destination that must be experienced. Tent London 2011 will take place 22-25 September at the Old Truman Brewery, Brick Lane, London, E1 6QL, UK. Adult £10, Child £5, Under 5’s FREE. Discount Advance tickets £8 before 16 September at www.tentlondon.co.uk.
Cutting-edge contemporary interior design? Look no further than the event that started it all,100% Design. The UK’s first and leading contemporary design show is a hub of creative talent from the UK and around the world and a key event for interior designers and architects in the international calendar. It brings together three inspiring exhibitions under one roof: world-class interiors show 100% Design, innovative surfaces at 100% Materials plus emerging talent showcase 100% Futures. Date: 22 -25 September 2011 Venue: Earls Court, London www.100percentdesign.co.uk
Related articles
- London Design Festival: best in show (telegraph.co.uk)
- The Insider: How to navigate the London Design Festival (independent.co.uk)
Nick Garrett 