Our highlights from Clerkenwell Design Week 2024
We took some time out of the office and braved the rain this week to explore the delights of Clerkenwell Design Week - the annual celebration of all things design. This year featured 600+ showroom events, 11 curated exhibitions and a full programme of talks. We didn’t get chance to visit them all, but we wanted to share our highlights.
Over 600 showroom events and numerous talks made CDW 2024 the best yet. Image Credit for all images: 4 S Architecture.
1/Edward Collinson - the most beautiful stand at CDW (in our opinion!)
Edward Collinson is an established design and manufacturing company, renowned for producing heirloom-quality furniture and kitchens. The studio celebrates classic English craftsmanship and understated luxury, keeping their designs as low-tech as possible to maintain a sense of calm materiality. Every piece is thoughtfully designed by founder Edward Collinson, and a growing family of creative collaborators and meticulously crafted by a team of expert furniture makers in their North London workshop.
2/ Spark and Bell - the best sustainability story
Spark and Bell are an inspiring Brighton based lighting designer with a passion for purpose-driven sustainable production and affordable prices. Their commitment to circular design and minimising waste has led them to B-Corp status. All of their products have a 10-year warranty, free in-house repairs and end of life recycling so that components can be reused. The lights on show (and shown below) at CDW were made using chipped CD case inserts - black and white ones are separated and made into these wave form lights (left) and (right) from plastic bags.
3/ Crypt on the Green venue - the best heritage space
Saint James Church, Clerkenwell is a Grade 2* listed church on the site of the first nunnery to be built in London dating from 1100AD. It has been stunningly transformed with Tom Dixon lighting and furniture sitting alongside original features from 1792 to create a unique venue space, which is home to a collection of British designers during Clerkenwell Design Week.
4/ Old Sessions House - best spot to shelter from the rain!
We took a welcome break from walking around and grabbed a coffee in the Georgian Old Sessions House, another venue used to showcase design talent this week. Featuring a neoclassical facade and grand interiors, it was originally built in 1779, and served as a courthouse and prison until the 1920s and is now a flexible workspace and events venue featuring refined meeting rooms and cosy work zones.
We stopped for a coffee in the spectacular light-filled atrium space which has been wonderfully restored and furnished with modern elements and subtle planting. The spaces are finished in raw hues and soft paintwork which celebrate the neoclassical architecture.
We have visited the Clerkenwell Design Week in previous years, and you can read our journal posts showing our former highlights. The images featured here were taken by 4 S Architecture, in our constant search for inspiration. Keep your eyes peeled for some of these ideas popping up in our future designs!
We hope that you will be able to view some of the city’s best designers before Clerkenwell Design Week ends.