Large three-dimensional structures in front of buildings, optical illusions in the streets and traveling works of art. In addition to the new products and presentations in the showrooms, there are a great number of installations in the London streets. Stage design specialists Aldworth James & Bond will captivate the public with Order, an installation at St John’s Gate that combines digital techniques, manual knowledge and the high-performance qualities of Corian. The result is a three-meter-high octagonal structure that resembles the shape of St John’s cross and transforms the arch of St John’s Gate into a gateway to the design festival. In the Clerkenwell Close area, you can admire Double Vision by the Hakwood company, which works in the wood and ceramic surfaces sector: it is named Double Vision because it offers many different perspectives with its optical patterns and tiles positioned at different levels. People who love socializing should visit the Next Generation Design Pavilion in the St James gardens, a project created by students from all over London, who were asked to represent how design and architecture can encourage interaction. The result is a dynamic space, a place conceived as a bridge where people can meet. Walking along Northampton Road, you will come across The Playbox, a playful idea by Shape London and Fraher Architects that consists of curious extra-large 60 x 60 cm tea boxes, inside which you can sit down, drink tea and chat. In St John’s Square, you can find The Bolt: A Celebration of Craft, an installation by American leather accessories brand Shinola with London designer Giles Miller: it is a large structure with a curved surface that celebrates craftsmanship and resembles the shape of bags. Many other installations will astonish visitors to Clerkenwell Design Week. A final mention should go to one of the numerous works in the Design Fields, which is one of the festival’s most northern and lively areas: The Beacon, a 7.5 m-high structure inspired by the Tower of Babel, contains an internal staircase that creates graphic symbols in tribute to various cultures and to internationalization. The structure is a strong symbol in London, which is preparing for the general election on 8 June and for the UK’s inexorable exit from Europe.
