Words Pearl Boyd
Designjunction presents more than 200 of the world’s most iconic design brands to the world’s leading design professionals. It’s a junction connecting the industry – a place to meet, do business and be inspired. Returning this month to its spectacular King’s Cross location for the annual London Design Festival, the event is set to be even larger than last year. The 2016 edition attracted 27,000 visitors over five days and now it will expand to take place across five destinations including Cubitt House and Cubitt Park, The Canopy, Granary Square and The Crossing – a mix of global furniture, lighting, accessory, material and technology brands will exhibit alongside pop-up shops, installations and interactive features.Granary Square will feature headline projects including a new collaboration with Renault UK. Renault will showcase their design philosophy in a unique and playful way, creating an immersive experience around the concept ‘Beautiful Life’. Renault TreZor, voted the ‘Most Beautiful Concept Car of the Year’ by the Festival Automobile Jury will make its UK debut at the show. Distinctive detail such as the analogue volt-meter and the animated honeycomb cooling vents on the bonnet make this concept a must-see for designers. Also on display will be the results of Renault’s collaboration with Central Saint Martins’ MA Industrial Design students, who are undertaking a brief on the future of modularity in car design.Cubitt House and Cubitt Park will present a stellar line-up of international design brands including Lammhults, Design House Stockholm, Friends and Founders, Fredericia, Icons of Denmark alongside Channels, LSA, Decode, Another Country and Very Good & Proper.Lightjunction – the decorative lighting section – returns with a curated mix of leading global lighting firms. Since its inception, lightjunction has attracted world-class brands including Artemide, DCW Èditions, FontanaArte, Marset, Northern Lighting, Örsjö and Slamp.The Crossing will house installations from Corian, Kirkby Design, Blackbody and partnership projects. This year designjunction has teamed up with design-led watch brand Rado, to launch the first-ever UK edition of the Rado Star Prize design competition.The Rado Star Prize UK will target the next generation of young British designers working across interior, industrial and technology design, culminating in a spectacular exhibition and awards ceremony at the show.The Canopy will be a temporary pop-up venue for premium retail brands and emerging design labels, selling everything from fashion accessories to technology, ceramics, glassware and stationery.
The line-up includes Areaware (Under Stone Marketing), Moxon, One We Made Earlier, Tom Pigeon, Sarah Straussberg, Oggetto and Dashel.This year, designjunction launches a brand new talks programme at The Office Group in King’s Cross. The space, designed by Wells Mackereth and Studio Downie Architects, will host presentations, discussions and demonstrations across two days set to challenge, provoke and engage with 21st century design.
Thursday 21 – Sunday 24 September 2017
For tickets visit thedesignjunction.co.uk
