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Birthday celebrations for B&B Italia and Brompton Design District, new showrooms for Fontana Arte, Salvatori and Sé, and Below Stairs intrigue in Sir John Soane’s kitchen – all at LDF this week New showrooms A number of brands are opening new London showrooms. Italian lighting maker Fontana Arte will show off classics and installations at its first London space on Rosebery Avenue (pictured above). Another Italian brand, Salvatori, known for its work in stone, will open a showroom designed by Piero Lissoni in Marylebone. Meanwhile, London brand Sé will open its flagship space on Fulham Road, displaying new designs by Nika Zupanc among its wares. B&B Italia
The grand dame of Italian design celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, and shows no sign of slowing, with a string of launches by big names. This year’s offerings, on display at its showroom during LDF, include Jasper Morrison’s Bankside sofa and armchair, originally conceived for Herzog & de Meuron’s Tate Modern extension; a new version of Naoto Fukasawa’s Grande Papilio armchair and footstool in sheepskin; Doshi Levien’s Do-Maru armchair, made of painted and decorated leather plates that resemble the panels that protect a samurai’s body; and Antonio Citterio’s Édouard seating system (pictured), with sinuous lines that recall an embrace. Sir John Soane’s Museum
The newly restored Regency kitchens at the excellent if diminutive museum in Lincoln’s Inn Fields will be opened to the public for the first time, and leading designers have been invited to create responses to the new space. The exhibition’s theme, Below Stairs, is a reference to the past life of these rooms, and their use by Soane’s domestic staff. The work on display will include household objects, tableware and domestic utensils inspired by various aspects of the kitchen, from the dining table as a focal point to the implements used for preparing food. It will host new or recent work by Barber & Osgerby, Martino Gamper (pictured), Jasper Morrison and Paul Cocksedge. Brompton Design District
West London’s Brompton Design District turns ten this year and marks the occasion with shows, events and installations. Among the highlights is Breathless, an exploration of glassmaking with live presentations and workshops. Designers Tomas Alonso, Marcin Rusak, Studio Swine and Michael Anastassiades will take part in on-site experiments, while glass designers from the Czech Republic including Dechem (pictured) will display a mobile glass furnace. Kvadrat
Design studio Doshi Levien has created a group of technically experimental curtains for Kvadrat: Rocket and Fiction are knits in a soft colour palette; jacquard-woven Utopia has an architectural feel; and Lake is a slightly iridescent twill. The designers will incorporate the fabrics into Pilotis (pictured), an installation at Kvadrat’s London showroom, juxtaposing smooth and perforated fabrics, and influenced by concrete modernist architecture. Bisazza
Bisazza will reveal a new collection by Studio Job called Wood, an interpretation of parquet with bold colours and 3D patterns. It’s the tiling brand’s fifth collaboration with the eccentric duo (pictured) over the past 10 years, and follows the launch at the Salone del Mobile of designs inspired by the industrial revolution. The latest offering comprises oak tiles and comes in four shades: Cuoio, Marron Glacé, Moka and Naturale. London Design Festival takes place from 17 to 25 September 2016 |
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