Out and About at London Design Festival
28th September 2015
Last week London was over-brimming with incredible design and we couldn’t resist having another venture out to discover more inspirational creations.
First up was Alex Chinneck’s ‘Bullet from a Shooting Star’. Arguably the poster boy of the Design Festival, I was dying to see if this piece lived up to the hype. Smack bang in the middle of a building sight and with only a few builders for company, the installation felt weirdly real, as if there had just been some sort of strange incident. There were no frills or flounce, only the 35ft structure towering over the high-rise buildings of the Canary Warf backdrop. I just love the thought of a billionaire business man looking out of the glass window on the 50th floor, baffled by what appears to be a pylon that has fallen from space. If surreal is what Chinneck was after, he certainly achieved it.
Next we headed to Designjunction, an exhibit showcasing 180 global brands across two stunning venues in central London. The Victoria House looked as grand as ever with its high ceilings and majestic features, whilst the old classrooms of the former home of St Martins College created the perfect setting for this bunch of creative, modern designers.
I really loved the amazing herd of iconic Eames Elephants, each one customised by a world-renowned designer or architect. The installation, titled ‘A child’s dream’, not only brought a bit of fun to the exhibit but was also for a very good cause. Aiming to raise awareness for Teddy’s Wish charity, an organisation researching Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and providing support to the families affected, each elephant is being auctioned off with all proceeds going to the charity. Take a closer look at these beautiful creatures and discover all about the auction here.
Possibly one of the most interesting stands we came across was Tylko and their app that not only lets you customise the size, colour and style of their furniture but also lets you visualise it in your room. With the idea of bidding farewell to the showroom in order to cut costs, this app simply requires a sheet of A4 and a smartphone or tablet and voilà… the furniture is superimposed into your room. You can then customise the piece on your screen to ensure it fits perfectly in your space. Although I can’t say I’m for getting rid of the showroom, as I’m a firm believer that it is always better to see something in real life and feel the quality of the furniture, I do have to admit it was pretty cool!
Intrigued?! Check out this short video to see more… Meet Tylko Video
