Your guide to designjunction 2018

Now in it’s eighth year, designjunction, the curated exhibition of cutting-edge design held between 20 – 23 September, is set across three exciting venues located in the cultural hub of London’s South Bank; you can expect to discover 200 international brands and boutique shops, hundreds of product launches, outdoor installations, major brand activations, as well as delicious pop-up eateries and bars. Like the sound of that? Well, luckily for SBID Members, we have secured a limited number of VIP Platinum Passes exclusively for our members to enjoy the VIP treatment!

With the Platinum Pass you can enjoy: 
• Entry to the VIP Party on Wednesday 19th September
• Unlimited access to the show during open hours
• Free guided tour of the show, available daily from the press office

The Doon Street site – the largest super-structure ever built by designjunction – will feature up to 200 design brands and pop-up shops across the furniture, lighting and retail sectors. The Riverside Walkway will showcase a series of outdoor installations, whilst Oxo Tower Wharf and Bargehouse will host brand activations, talks, exhibitions and experiential events.

Caesarstone collaborates with designjunction for STILL BY FORM

On the first floor of the Doon Street site, STILL BY FORM is a unique restaurant installation designed with a palette of harmonious layers of colours and texture to provide a setting for quiet contemplation; allowing visitors to disconnect for a moment of observation and reflect away from the bustle of the show.

Curated by design consultancy and procurement specialists BY FORM, the pop-up restaurant serves as a backdrop for exciting interior pieces that are yet to be showcased in the UK. STILL is influenced by simple Danish design and organic Japanese aesthetics, showcasing a selection of hand-picked collaborations with brands and designers. The pop-up restaurant installation features a refined collection of design across lighting, textiles, surfaces and furniture, and new materials, including brands like Anour, &tradition, KABE Copenhagen, Zilenzio and Atkinson & Kirby. The menu will be provided by 26 Grains, from Neil’s Yard London.

STILL utilises Caesarstone‘s newly launched Topus Concrete surface design for the restaurant’s main bar. Developed as part of the Caesarstone design team’s wider exploration of industrial finishes and weathered patinas, Topus Concrete’s gentle linier pattern is reminiscent of Jupiter’s rotating cloud bands, while its warm blush pink colours sit harmoniously within the calming palette used across STILL.

Gufram presents Disco-inspired Collection 

International design brand Gufram will also be presenting its playful Disco Gufram installation on the ground floor of the Doon Street site. Visitors to the show will be able to experience the immersive nightclub-inspired interior, a space intertwined with pop culture from the mid 1960’s, re-thought and re-shaped by Gufram. The Italian manufacturer has collaborated with three design studios on a disco-inspired collection: an extensive collection of sofas by Italian Atelier Biagetti, a series of innovative cabinets by Dutch design collective ROTGANZEN and a colourful range of rugs by French duo GGSV.

The Original. About the power of good design.

At Oxo Tower Wharf and Bargehouse, Swiss furniture manufacturer Vitra will present ‘The Original. About the power of good design’ as part of its international roadshow. The installation focuses on Vitra’s classic and contemporary products, offering insights into the product development processes and recounting the origins and stories behind some of their most recognisable designs.

‘The Original. About the power of good design’ exhibition forms part of Vitra’s ‘The Original’ campaign, communicating Vitra’s commitment to maintaining close relationships with its designers – who are referred to as authors – and the result of these collaborations always being truly original.

Elements Collection by Bolon 

Flooring creatives, Bolon will launch nature-inspired collection, Elements, in an exhibition showcasing the company’s commitment to sustainability. Subtle and versatile, the Elements range reflects the textures of the natural environment and is inspired by materials such as linen, oak, ask, cork, birch and marble. The exhibition will highlight Bolon’s two new sustainable initiatives, Closing the Circle and Cradle to Cradle with NoGlue®, and reflect on its history of environmental consciousness which started when its founder, Nils-Erik Eklund began making woven rugs from vinyl waste sourced from a Stockholm factory in 1949.

The Urban Roof Gardens

Urban Roof Gardens, leading design practice creating unique and stylish roof gardens, will bring its new Urban Biophilia concept to the Bargehouse courtyard. Exploring the profound relationship between people and nature, the installation will provide city dwellers with a botanical sanctuary.

Introducing the Plural Collection 

Leading bathroom brand VitrA will present its new Plural collection conceived by Milan-based American designer Terri Pecora. Inspired by the heritage of communal bathing spaces and rituals, the range introduces the bathroom as a social hub and informal living environment where people meet and reconnect with themselves and their family.

ANDlight presents new product families 

Lighting manufacturer ANDlight based in Vancouver, Canada, will unveil three new product families – the minimal Array collection and the astral-inspired Orbit light by Lukas Peet and the Vine by Caine Heintzman.

 New Form sofa Collection by Icons of Denmark

designjunction will see the official launch of the Form sofa family, the latest collection by Icons of Denmark. Bringing Danish design to the UK, the brand will also unveil a new one-seater booth responding to the needs for flexible, but private office furniture solutions.

Head Above Water 

This year, designjunction will not only be returning with an abundance of the latest design innovations, product launches and trends for the forthcoming year, but will be bringing with it an inspirational troop of thought-provoking outdoor installations on the Riverside Walkway. British designer Steuart Padwick will be among the few to make a dramatic addition to the London skyline during designjunction in support of mental health with his project, Head Above Water. With its panoramic views of St Paul Cathedral and the iconic city skyline, the 9 metre high sculpture on Queen’s Stone jetty is designed to initiate the vital discourse about a topic which is all too often swept under the carpet.

The ‘Head’ is deliberately gender, ethnicity and age neutral and stands as a symbol of hope, bravery, compassion, positivity and change for those who have or are still confronting mental health issues. Steuart Padwick first sculpted a head in clay and then developed the concept into its current form using precision engineered, renewable and sustainable cross-laminated timber panels, provided by Stora Enso. To realise the structure Steuart Padwick worked with structural engineering expertise, Ramboll. It is a model of sustainable, smart design and build.

For more information about the events, installations, talks or for a full list of exhibitors, click here