London is a wacky city, full of wacky facts. Did you know, for instance, that Big Ben is the bell and not the entire clock contrary to what the whole world thinks? London is home to unusual street names like Ha ha street in Greenwich. London has been home to many famous people including Vincent Van Gogh, Ho Chi Minh, Mahatma Gandhi and Sigmund Freud. Ironically more than half of London’s underground network actually runs above the ground.
We may not be in London right now, but that doesn’t stop us from taking in all the London Design Festival has to offer from a distance. When you compare the South African exhibition landscape you soon realise that there are similarities, as we saw at the Homemakers Expo for example there is a focus on inventing power-saving yet elegantly designed lighting fixtures and incorporating beautiful natural wood furnishings in your home.
What is the London Design Festival all about?
The London Design Festival was created by two of the greatest design advocates in England – Sir John Sorrell and, former political consultant Ben Evans. It dates from 2003 and since then 80 countries have followed suit and set up their own London inspired festival. This widely known festival celebrates London as the global capital of design. Unlike the festivals that we are used to, it isn’t confined to a single venue, it takes place in pop up shops and refreshment areas that are scattered across the city. Distance between countries is not a setback for the London Design Festival, despite being situated in England’s capital, a large portion of the designs on display are from all over the world, such as Turkish ceramics, warm fabrics inspired by Bollywood movies and wood furnishings collected from several African countries. You could say London is bringing the world together.
Featured Landmark Projects
Large scale installations are set up each year called Landmark Projects. Every year these installations ask of their creators to dig deep into their imaginations to top exhibitors from the previous year. A few to remember include Jaime Hayón’s giant chess set smack bang in the middle of the Trafalgar Square. Each piece was hand crafted by Hayón and represented a different part of London or iconic building – talk about brilliant design and poetic appeal. The endless stair outside the Tate Modern featured a complex structure of wood and gave off the appearance of being endless.
A recent project taken from a quote by Shakespeare is entitled, you know you cannot see yourself so well as by reflection. This project featured displays rectangular panels placed on the floor across the Trafalgar Square which acted as a temporary pavilion that referenced the Aztec city of Tenochtitlán.
Flickering lights that come to life
Inspired by the Art Nouveau Movement, a collaborative effort from the Austrian design duo mischer’traxler and boutique champagne house Perrier-Jouët brought a sensational and interactive installation to life ‒ making people feel as if they were in a wondrous dream and instantly putting a smile on everyone’s faces as they passed by. Entitled ‘curiosity cloud’, the installation is made up of light bulbs, a circuit board, motor and small LED lights that trigger a flickering insect inside when someone walks past, thanks to the light bulbs’ thermo sensors.
Speaking of innovative design
You don’t need to hire a fancy designer or go on the hunt for ideas and products in the store when our window film is right here at your disposal, ready to dress your windows to perfection. Don’t believe us?
Download our window film catalogue to find out…
