London Design Festival

VISI art director Etienne Hanekom is the lucky one at the London Design Festival this week. Keep track of his tweets to stay in the loop.

In its ninth year, the eight-day festival includes 180 expected partners and more than 250 events to celebrate the world’s creative capital.

The London Design Festival has commissioned landmark design installations by renowned British architects and designers across the city. The V&A Museum, and, for the first time, St Paul’s Cathedral are two of the venues for this year’s events. 

The V&A Museum

For the third year running, the London Design Festival is overseeing a broad programme of activities in residence at the Museum. Twelve specially commissioned pieces are featured throughout the museum, the standout piece being the transformation of the Grand Entrance by Amanda Levette Architects.

A majestic three-dimensional latticework spiral made from red oak spans the height of the Museum doors in celebration of the Festival. A whole host of other design-oriented events, like workshops and talks lead by international experts, takes place within the historic walls of the V&A too.

Etienne will be seeing the Kvadrats collaboration with Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec when he’s there this week. The creative brothers have ceated a dramatic textile installation entitled, Textile Field, at the Victoria and Albert Museum

Textile Field, an expansive, coloured foam and textile ‘lounge’ with gentle inclinations produces a sensual environment on which visitors can comfortably lounge and contemplate the surrounding space. The installation is exhibited at the Raphael Gallery, the largest and most prestigious space in the Victoria and Albert Museum. The structure measures 30m long by 8m wide.

St Paul’s Cathedral

This magnificent cathedral was topped-out exactly 300 years ago by English architect Sir Christopher Wren. As part of this year’s Festival, one of the UK’s leading architects, John Pawson, has designed an installation complementing Wren’s intention that each of his buildings should include a scientific element. A metal and Swarovski crystal half-hemisphere at the base of the Geometric Staircase in the South West Tower allows visitors a greater view of the cathedral than the natural eye could see.

The Cathedral also hosts the fifth presentation of the London Design Medal. Previous recipients of this prestigious award are Sir Paul Smith, Zaha Hadid and Marc Newson, all recognised as having made a significant contribution to design and the city of London.

Design Districts

The Festival’s wider programme is focused on six design districts, each celebrating their own particular contribution to the world of design. The Brompton Design District and nearby Pimlico Road showcase a cocktail of international designs, interiors and design-led installations.

In central London, Covent Garden reflects the broad range of design interests locally and stage a specially commissioned installation with Lego in the Piazza.

The Fitzrovia Creative programme also boasts showrooms by the European Design District while the Clerkenwell Design District entertains with a multitude of showrooms and studios. Finally, the Shoreditch Design Triangle is hosting a wide range of interesting design-related sights and activities.

Follow us on Twitter to see Etienne’s tweets!

More information: www.londondesignfestival.com