Clerkenwell is home to the interior architecture community in London and boasts more architecture practices per square mile than anywhere else on the planet. No wonder then, the festival is now the largest UK independent design festival. Traditionally the festival was an excuse for that community to open their doors and showcase new products. Today, the festival receives international recognition for it’s weight in the design calendar. A small number of the Identica team graced the event and collected some thoughts on what it had to offer.

1. IDENTICA
INSIGHT
Issue 4
CLERKENWELL
DESIGN WEEK

2. CLERKENWELL DESIGN WEEK
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CLERKENWELL
DESIGN WEEK
Clerkenwell is home to the interior
architecture community in London and
boasts more architecture practices per
square mile than anywhere else on the
planet. No wonder then, the festival is now
the largest UK independent design festival.
Traditionally the festival was an excuse for
that community to open their doors and
showcase new products. Today, the festival
receives international recognition for it’s
weight in the design calendar.
A small number of the Identica team
graced the event and collected some
thoughts on what it had to offer.
60
furniture showrooms
200
architectural practices

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JAGUAR PARTNERSHIP
WHY WOULD JAGUAR
SPONSOR THE DESIGN WEEK?
Why wouldn’t they.
The festival is synonymous with
innovation, craft and detail. Design has
always been one of the key strands running
through Jaguar’s DNA and their designers
would be influenced by all aspects of
design, not just automotive.
Apart from exposing their new model to the
design community, Jaguar crafted a
bronze-painted fiberglass art instillation to
perhaps give us an insight into their future
design language.
Other festival
participants include:
VITRA
ZAHA HADID
BENE
CASSINA
HERMAN MILLER
KNOLL
REP OF FRITZ HANSEN
STEELCASE
INTERSTUHL
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We know that the workplace has shifted
from the isolation of old cellular desking to
the familiar open plan landscapes of today.
We are no longer tethered to the desk, and
workplaces are becoming increasingly
domesticated.
These open environments encourage
collaboration and creativity but it comes at
a cost; noise pollution.
Workplace manufacturers are creating
solution to this problem without
constructing ‘negative’ walls.
1. Hush by Freyja
Sewell is an enclosed
‘soft snug’ where users
can escape from the
world around them.
2. An office phone
booth by Studio Tilt.
The upholstered
interior panelling
means people can
have short, protected
conversations.
3. Buzzi Space offer a
wide variety of
acoustic furniture
systems but the
‘BuzziHub’ traps
acoustics inside and
protects from its outer
environment.
4. The Ear Chair from
Prooff is an iconic
form in its own right
but when configured
in a system it offers
surprisingly strong
acoustic protection.
SMART WORKPLACE
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5. Again from Studio
Tilt, this single seater
allows the user to focus.

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As we know, pop-up environments are
implemented to surprise and engage
consumers in a place of convenience.
Clerkenwell Design Week was subject to
many examples of temporary spaces.
Brands are in danger of creating
temporary spaces with very little
customer reward and even smaller
inspirational features.
Prior to the event, excitement was brewing
when the news that a TfL Canteen was
coming to the festival however, slight
dissapointment as it was nothing more
than a food van and a complete contrast to
the success of their more permanent
Canteen. Maybe old train carriages would
have been far more engaging?
1. Dezeen, the digital
publisher usually sell
watches through their
website. This year
they used the festival
to create a pop-up
shop. The watches
were displayed in bird
cages.
2. Office furniture
manufacturer Sedus
pitched a farm outside
their showroom with
live sheep. The
operation was part of
a puzzle or ‘sheep
hunt’ across the
district while also
selling their craft
dairy products.
A little puzzling.
3. Dissapointing.
TfL Canteen.
SPACE ELASTICITY
4. Bloc hotels created
a space that replicated
their hotel rooms in
St. Johns Square.
Well executed as it
had an intriguing
journey to the experience.

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Within our digital age, it can be very easy
to lose the art of process, thought and
approach.
As a branding agency, Identica values the
power of process. However it was
highlighted, by Zaha Hadid in particular,
that process is art. There is magnificent
beauty within it.
The models that were on show within the
Zaha Hadid gallery were arguably more
inspiring than the resulting work.
Experimentation, innovation and great
craft force their way into the process and
it’s wonderful to view.
Jaguar collaborated with the Royal College
of Art to experiment the students approach
of automotive design. An investment in
innovative process.
1. Zaha Hadid’s model
for the Abu Dhabi
Performance Arts
Center. The model
holds a gravitas of
its own.
2. Again from Zaha
Hadid, there were
three encased paper
models from various
projects around the
world. They took
various perspectives
of the projects to give
the design added
layers of life.
3. This painting from
the Zaha Hadid
highlights art in the
process, the canvas
featured contours of
the landscape and a
beautifully
constructed image of
the design.
SPACE ELASTICITY
4. Examples of the
Jaguar RCA
collaboration..
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We know that workplaces are becoming
more domesticated; softer and warmer.
What’s magnificent about Clerkenwell
Design Week is that it offers a platform to
the ‘crafters’, the designers that would
otherwise not get the exposure the larger
furniture manufacturers do.
Many products are engineered for a
lifespan, a ‘warrentyspan’. It was
refreshing to see the level of craft thrown
wholeheartedly into upholstery and
woodwork by certain brands. In contrast
to the mass produced metal finishes we’re
used to seeing.
1. These two latest
additions to the Acorn
Collection from Bark
were a highlight. They
combined form and
functionality with the
Bark putting extra
focus on the comfort of
their newest editions.
2. Fine craft and
detailing poured into
these miniature
models from Pinch.
There were 16 models
placed into individual
boxes that would have
taken large amounts
of time and skill
to create.
3. The focus on
detailing and form
were very clear to see.
ART OF CRAFT
4. James UK have
created a Wingback
and a Lucan arm
chair in buttoned
black leather upholstery.
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LOVE IT OR HATE IT
We noticed the art of craft and beauty in
the process but some forms were quite
difficult to understand.

9. THANK YOU
Issue 4
CLERKENWELL DESIGN WEEK
TO FIND OUT MORE: Call +44 (0)20 3451 9700,
or email Leah Williams leah.williams@identica.com