The latest from a returning Clerkenwell Design Week

Following a two-year hiatus, Clerkenwell Design Week returns 24^th – 26^th May with an energised programme, the announcement of new venues and an extended route. The eleventh edition of the landmark festival, CDW 2022 will see 100+ resident showrooms open their doors to audiences, the largest number since its inception in 2010. Here’s what we know so far and what to look out for.

The Look

For 2022, the new identity for CDW has been inspired by the printing and craft industries that have traditionally formed an integral part of Clerkenwell’s creative history. The branding melds multiple typefaces, from those referencing the classic printing press to contemporary display faces with an architectural quality – reflecting the evolution of the creative industries and the home neighbourhood.

The Route

This year the festival route has been extended to include Charterhouse Square, which will see Orticolario’s Delenimentum installation taking centre stage. The gigantic version of the legendary Adirondack Chair created in 1903 by the designer Thomas Lee is a playful, Insta-moment addition. Across EC1, there will be nine exhibitions, in both purpose built and historical venues, all showcasing a curated mix of leading brands and emerging talent –covering furniture, lighting, textiles, surfaces, accessories and product design from around the world. New for 2022 is Covered, an exhibition dedicated to interior surfaces – forming part of the new festival location in Charterhouse Square. Also new is Contract, where visitors can view the latest products for commercial interiors.

Clerkenwell’s subterranean House of Detention, which was previously a prison in the mid-19th century, will showcase Light + Rising Stars, where a host of emerging designers will exhibit alongside leading lighting brands. Pop, the former cold store turned nightclub, will host brand activations and immersive experiences throughout the three days of the festival.

CDW Presents

In a partnership that has spanned five years, CDW will once again collaborate with Scale Rule to present the NextGen Design Pavilion. This year’s design concept for the NextGen pavilion exemplifies human impact upon the earth and in turn mankind’s responsibility to protect and shape it for better. The domed structure illustrates a deconstructed planet, which is formed, fractured and reconfigured from natural materials, including timber geometric segments. The pavilion celebrates sustainability through its modular production methods, recycled materials and future re‐use, encouraging people to rest and socialise within its bounds.

The Talks

Conversations at Clerkenwell will return with a specially designed venue in Spa Fields, designed by Fieldwork Architects. It reimagines the traditional Victorian bandstand as a focal point within the park – a place for gathering, discussion, entertainment and shelter. Rather than a traditional forward-facing seating arrangement, the bandstand form allows the focus point to be partially in the round and engage the audience as a discussion, rather than a presentation. The mass of the bandstand has been inverted within a solid cube, focussing attention and sound on the speaker via a centrally located geodesic formed dome and circular seating below.

clerkenwelldesignweek.com