The 12th edition of Clerkenwell Design Week (CDW) returns to London May 23-25 with its biggest program yet, with more than 600 events, 12 exhibition venues, 300 brands, and 130 local showroom partners. The fair’s growth owes some credit to its merging with its sister show, Design London, for the first time.
“Amalgamating Design London into the program of events further bolsters the experience of CDW as the most anticipated design destination after Milan,” says Marlon Cera-Marle, design division director of Media 10. “After more than a decade of championing design excellence and launching the career of many young talents… We’re thrilled to be back with an even bigger line-up, including some of the industry’s most dominant figures.”
One of the top names leading the CDW lineup is London’s own Morag Myerscough, who will open the festival’s talk program, Conversations at Clerkenwell, and will build an exterior wall of an installation from acoustics specialist BAUX. The installation by BAUX and international design studio Form Us With Love will highlight projects from eight outstanding architectural design students from Scandinavia.
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- Steve Messam’s “Gateway” installation for Clerkenwell Design Week.
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- Steve Messam puts his spin on London’s iconic phonebooths.
The fair’s three-day schedule includes a specially commissioned installation from British artist Steve Messam, known for massive inflatable artwork depicting familiar objects. Sponsored by 3D-design software company SketchUp, “Gateway” consists of 27 giant blue, hand-sewn spikes transforming the historical site St John’s Gate of the Order of St. John.
“Gateway offers a dynamic and unforgettable sensory experience,” Steve says. “While the spikes tower above the public as they pass through the gate, the bespoke piece traces the internal space between the arches before bursting out beyond the bounds of the building.” The artist will also install big red inflatables over some of Clerkenwell’s public phonebooths.
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- Yinka Ilori’s tiles for Domus.
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- The British-Nigerian designer is known for his colorful, optimistic philosophy.
London’s maximalist scene is on display once again with a new collection of tiles from Yinka Ilori and Domus. Yinka’s tiles extend his philosophy of generating optimism through color and abstract pattern, combining inspiration from nature and his British-Nigerian heritage in two ranges of tiles. The collection launches with a special installation in Domus Clerkenwell.
The performance fabrics company Ultrafabrics also celebrates a new collaboration at CDW: working with PANTONE’s Color of the Year, Ultrafabrics will unveil new, custom palettes and updates to the Uf Select Montage and Brisa collections.
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- Hand-blown glass lighting studio Curiousa presents the Wave chandelier, designed by Esther Patterson, at CDW.
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- Ercol’s Marino Chair will be relaunched at Clerkenwell Design Week in sustainable, homegrown British timber.
Other leading brands and showroom partners include Ercol, SolidNature, Arper, Blå Station, KI, Fritz Hansen, Formica, Kohler, and Vitra, as well as smaller brands and designers like bespoke lighting studio Curiousa.
More information and festival passes (they’re free!) are available at clerkenwelldesignweek.com.
