London Design Festival 2015: Designjunction

“designjunction is a platform for commercial and cultural design. We create innovative and curated design exhibitions within unusual, industrial spaces.”

designjunction formed part of the annual London Design Festival held between 19^th and 27^th September, making its fifth annual appearance celebrating the city’s role as a premier creative hub leading innovations in art, design and craftsmanship. Hosted this year in Bloomsbury venues Victoria House B1 and The College (the former Central St Martin’s site) spaced less than 50 metres apart, designjunction 2015 showcased 150 brands spanning interiors, textiles, furniture, fashion, art, food and technology against the stunning industrial and technical backdrops of both locations.

The brainchild of Sir John Sorrell and Ben Evans, London Design Festival’s first appearance was in 2003 and has since remained a fixture on the calendar of the city’s design scene, reaching an international audience and quickly garnering a reputation as one of the world’s most important design festivals. Iconic London spaces the V&A and Somerset House this year staged a series of major events featuring installations, displays and demonstrations as part of the festival’s wider programme.

At designjunction, Thursday 24^th September saw a debate held by Central Saint Martins which examined the future role and function of industrial design education. MA students from the college created pieces in a studio located onsite during the course of the event. Further live demonstrations of pop-up “flash factories” included leatherwork by Candice Lau featuring the saddle-stitching technique used in her Kuku Big Bag range.

Installations inside the venues included flame-shaped lights captured inside glass bubbles suspended in the main stairwell of The College. Created by London-based contemporary lighting design company LUUM, the 20m centrepiece guided visitors up the five storeys of the old St Martins building. Over in Victoria House, a striking piece named A Child’s Wish greeted press, public and trade: a herd of 21 iconic Eames Elephants, donated by Swiss design group Vitra, with each elephant individually customised in support of the Teddy’s Wish charity.

Prior to this year’s London Design Festival, designjunction presented two international editions of the event earlier in 2015 to critical acclaim; in Milan designjunction attracted record-breaking numbers of visitors during Salone del Mobile in April before travelling to New York in May during NYCxDesign.

Emma Pugh