Clerkenwell Design Week, in its 13th edition, is set to return to London from 21 – 23 May 2024 – register for FREE festival passes now. Nestled within the dynamic Clerkenwell neighbourhood, renowned for its high concentration of architects and designers, this year's festival promises its most extensive line-up yet – with more venues, showrooms and installations than ever before. Expect a diverse array of over 600 curated events spanning across EC1, complemented by a network of over 160 local design showrooms and 300 exhibiting brands, spread across 12+ unique venues.

A series of site-specific installations, along with special projects and collaborations, will once again adorn the streets of Clerkenwell and various exhibition venues, offering festival-goers and the general public a fully immersive experience. 

Stay Playful (When No One Feels Like Playing) by 2LG Studio

To coincide with its 10th anniversary, Jordan Cluroe and Russell Whitehead of 2LG Studio (right) have breathed new life into a vintage helter-skelter. Situated in Spa Fields, Stay Playful (When No One Feels Like Playing) draws inspiration from Cluroe’s early days working at a fairground in the Black Country Living Museum and Whitehead’s childhood fascination with kitsch ornaments from his grandmother’s home. Designed to lift visitors above the festival grounds, the colourful installation is a playful spectacle, yet it evokes more intimate insight into 2LG at its heart. 

Grid System by Ben Cullen Williams

In the atmospheric setting of House of Detention, London-based artist Ben Cullen Williams will captivate visitors with his audio-visual installation, delving into the impact of the simple grid on our physical spaces, lives and day-to-day existence. Grid System will immerse the viewer in an evolving light 

installation that continuously explores these ideas, mapping grids onto the viewer as they become part of the artwork itself. Having previously collaborated with the likes of Marina Abramović, Wayne McGregor and polar explorer Robert Swan, Williams has showcased his works in international galleries and spaces including the Musée d’arts de Nantes, Sadler’s Wells and The Bolshoi Theatre.

    

Brick from a Stone by Albion Stone and Hutton Stone

British stone suppliers Albion Stone and Hutton Stone have commissioned London-based architecture practice Artefact to design an installation on Clerkenwell Green, showcasing stone bricks which both companies are launching this year. Bricks made from natural stone have about a quarter of the embodied carbon than traditional clay bricks. 

     

Brick from a Stone will illustrate the relatively simple and low-energy process a stone brick goes through to be produced via a colonnade of six columns, reaching heights of 3m at its tallest, constructed from stone bricks in two rows with a roof to provide shelter. A drinking trough for dogs will also be built, mirroring an existing old stone slab on the site originally designed for cattle.

Stone Tapestry: Beyond the Surface by Stone Federation

Also presented on Clerkenwell Green is Stone Tapestry: Beyond the Surface (right) by Stone Federation, which features materials not only from Albion Stone and Hutton Stone but also from Britannicus Stone, Dunhouse Quarry and Tradstocks. The federation has once again collaborated with architecture practice Squire and Partners to create an explorative exhibit designed to demonstrate the sustainability, versatility and beauty of natural stone. This year’s feature will be realised by The Stonemasonry Company Ltd and Webb Yates Engineers. 

Crafted for optimal weight distribution and ease of disassembly, the exhibit ingeniously utilises reclaimed stone pieces that are artfully assembled within a lightweight framework, further fortified with steel, to showcase the diverse colours, textures and unique attributes of British stone.

Aldgate Gold by Benchmark and London Metropolitan University

At British Collection, Benchmark has joined forces with a group of B.A. Product and Furniture Design students from London Metropolitan University. Under the guidance of course leader Simon Hasan, Aldgate Gold champions a sustainable design ethos by challenging second and third-year students to reimagine discarded objects salvaged from the streets of London.

Above (from left): I'm Screwed Bookend by Michael Dairo; Tennis Sliders by Odysseus Papamalis; Peg Stool by Giada Rinzivillo – all as part of the collaboration between Benchmark and London Metropolitan University (Image: Lakruwan Rajapaksha)

Using offcuts sourced from Benchmark’s workshop in Berkshire, students repurposed these objects and transformed them into various items, including footwear, a side table, a book stand and a wall-leaning light, to name a few. Moreover, festival attendees will have the chance to vote for their favourite creation, with the winning student receiving a special prize from Benchmark.

Gatekeepers by Duffy London and Orsi Orban

Building on its recent collaboration with Berlin-based surface designer Orsi Orban, Duffy London will transform the historic St John's Gate of the Order of St John with their latest installation for CDW, Gatekeepers. Inspired by organic forms found in nature, a series of sculptures is crafted to evoke a dynamic sense of movement, as though poised to spring to life. Integral to the development process was ensuring that the patterns seamlessly interacted with the flowing forms of the final pieces, imbuing them with a sense of organic vitality.

Schotten & Hansen x Kit Kemp Design Studio

During CDW, Schotten & Hansen and Kit Kemp Design Studio will showcase the Mythical Forest Salon, a creative collaboration by the latter using the former’s new pioneering magnetic floor treatment. In celebration of the wood specialist’s 40th anniversary this year, Minnie Kemp, Design Director of Kit Kemp Design Studio has designed an immersive space that will include the Pitter Pat magnetic table, which will preview at the festival, along with three further designs that can be swapped into the table template, depending on the user’s mood. Schotten & Hansen always explores new ways to manipulate wood in the home, and this is exemplified in its new Douglas Fir Veneer collection for which Kemp has created eight colours that will be displayed in a bespoke wood paneling and shelving unit.

   

Jestico + Whiles x Bolon

Local architecture and interior design studio Jestico + Whiles will collaborate with its neighbouring showroom Bolon on a project that will take over their shared courtyard at Sutton Yard in the heart of Clerkenwell. The studio’s design, complemented by lighting from Studio Fractal and Architainment, reimagines Bolon’s innovative woven flooring to create an immersive experience. Reflecting their shared sustainability values, this low-waste installation will repurpose Bolon’s flooring offcuts, which will then be reused or recycled.

Giant Signature Box by Material Bank

Material Bank is the world’s largest marketplace for searching, sampling and specifying architecture, design and construction materials. Following previous launches in Stockholm and Milan, the company will introduce its signature box to London during CDW, joining forces with a multitude of brand partners participating in the festival. Designed by Material Bank’s Chief Design Officer, the giant box installation measures 4.8m x 6.5m x 2m and will be located in St John’s Square. 

Connection by Lois and Ronnie O’Hara

Discover Connection, a new series of works by Lois and Ronnie O’Hara, adorning one of the brick walls near House of Detention. Venturing into the world of 3-D and sculptural work, this feature by the Brighton-based multidisciplinary artists and designers aims to encourage interaction and conversation while demonstrating the significant effects of nature on our mental health.