London Design Festival 2011: A few pointers

Date
18 September 2011

Now the London Design Festival is up and running there’s an overwhelming amount of shows, talks, tours and open studios vying for your attention and your time.Here’s just a few picks we feel are well worth seeking out.

The V&A corners the market for big installations with the jaw-dropping Timber Wave outside the entrance and the briliant Bouroullec brothers’ Textile Field taking over the Raphael Gallery. REDDRESS in Bethnal Green looks INSANE while Thierry Drefus’ Wall Rupture will melt your mind.

Architecture wise, John Pawson’s Persepctives installation at St Paul’s Cathedral is extraordinary, Claesson Koivisto Rune have a show at the Skandium warehouse and Dainow & Dainow present Imagined Cities a great mix of new talent and established names.

So much furniture, product and lighting to feast on, Faye Toogood’s new show is hotly-anticipated, Tent London, Lux Craft at Origin, designjunction bring together many exhibitors under one roof, Look Mum No Hands hosts Furniture For Bikes from Quarterre and Barber & Osgerby open their new show at The Haunch of Venison at the end of the week. And you’ll be going to see Tom Dixon at the Dock, obviously.

More than 30 countries are represented at this year’s festival, we pick Matilda at designjunction as potentially the star of the show, The UK China Art and Design Festival will be interesting and Whiteout showcases the best Danish designers around.

Live events play a massive part as usual at this year’s festival, The Google Design Lectures should be excellent, The Lego Greenhouse in Covent Garden is a must-see for kids (and big kids) and The Curious World of Skew hosts a great weekend programme. Also, a talk on transport signage? Consider our imagination captured.

Craft offerings abound as ever, we will definitely be going to see Ashraf Hanna’ show and Form of Perfection and we love an adventure so The Cockpit Arts 25th Anniversary trail is s ON.

This year it feels like graphic design and illustration is punching above its weight so where to start? Noma Bar, Alan Fletcher, Ian Wright? Oh and go and see Ben Newman’s Masks at No Brow. Great stuff!

www.londondesignfestival.com

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About the Author

Rob Alderson

Rob joined It’s Nice That as Online Editor in July 2011 before becoming Editor-in-Chief and working across all editorial projects including itsnicethat.com, Printed Pages, Here and Nicer Tuesdays. Rob left It’s Nice That in June 2015.

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