Exploring London Design Festival: A Focused Journey Through Kings Cross
The London Design Festival (LDF) stands as a beacon for creativity, innovation, and cutting-edge design, drawing enthusiasts and professionals from across the globe. Each year, as this magnificent event expands its footprint across the capital, the perennial question echoes amongst attendees: “What are the unmissable designs and events this year?” Navigating the vast landscape of exhibitions, installations, and talks can indeed be an overwhelming endeavor, even with the aid of detailed maps, dedicated apps, and countless online guides.
Rather than attempting to absorb every single offering – a noble but often exhausting pursuit that can lead to a sense of “design-junkie overload” – my partner Graham and I have refined our strategy over the years. We’ve found immense joy and deeper appreciation by dedicating our time to a specific district each festival. This allows us to slow down, truly immerse ourselves in the local atmosphere, and thoroughly explore selected designs, soaking up everything a particular area has to offer. This year, our compass pointed firmly towards the burgeoning Kings Cross Creative Quarter, an area rapidly cementing its status as a vibrant hub of design innovation.
Kings Cross Creative Quarter: A Canvas of Urban Regeneration and Design Excellence
Kings Cross, while a relatively new participant in the LDF narrative, has undergone a breathtaking transformation over the past decade. What was once a gritty industrial and transport interchange has been meticulously redeveloped into a dynamic urban quarter, brimming with public spaces, educational institutions, businesses, and an undeniable creative energy. Arriving at Granary Square for the opening day of designjunction last week, the air was thick with a youthful, buzzing atmosphere. The area around the picturesque canal waterways and public fountains was alive with activity. Imaginative, room-sized pop-up installations, reminiscent of giant Monopoly pieces, dotted the landscape, providing playful interaction points for visitors. Mobile eateries and artisanal coffee shops catered to the hungry and thirsty, while impromptu musical performances added a lively soundtrack to the design exploration.
The urban regeneration of Kings Cross isn’t just about new buildings; it’s about fostering a community where design, art, and education intertwine. This conscious effort has cultivated an environment ripe for events like LDF, attracting emerging talent and established brands alike. The energy here is palpable, a testament to thoughtful urban planning that prioritizes human experience and creative expression. The district seamlessly blends historical architecture with contemporary design, making it a fascinating backdrop for a festival dedicated to the future of design.
Granary Building’s Grandeur: Central Saint Martin’s and Designjunction Highlights
The cavernous Granary Building, home to the prestigious Central Saint Martin’s art and design college, served as a dramatic backdrop for some truly memorable installations. Its industrial grandeur, with soaring ceilings and exposed brickwork, offered a perfect counterpoint to the refined and innovative designs on display. Among the standout pieces were the exquisite lighting creations by Blackbody, known for their pioneering use of OLED technology to craft luminous, elegant fixtures that transcend mere illumination to become sculptural art. Their designs added a sophisticated glow to the expansive space, drawing visitors in with their gentle radiance.
Equally captivating was the Kirkby Design stand, which featured a striking monochrome Deadgood sofa. This bold piece, with its graphic lines and contemporary aesthetic, proved to be an instant hit with Instagrammers, who queued patiently to capture the perfect shot. Its photogenic quality underscored the growing trend of “Instagrammable” design, where visual appeal for social media plays an increasingly significant role in a product’s popularity and reach. The thoughtful curation within the Granary Building truly showcased how diverse design elements can harmoniously coexist within a single, impressive architectural shell, offering a rich sensory experience for all.
Cubitt House: Ingenious Furniture and Ethereal Lighting
Our journey through designjunction then led us to Cubitt House, a temporary exhibition space that made an immediate impression with its remarkable facade. Hundreds of black and white grid modules, intricately arranged, enclosed tall trees, creating a visually arresting entrance that hinted at the design treasures within. Inside, Cubitt House unfolded as a treasure trove of innovative and diverse designs.
One of the most captivating discoveries was Verena Hennig’s ingenious Roll furniture collection. The top image above provides a glimpse of these unique chairs and benches, which feature rotating aluminium rods. Beyond their sleek aesthetic, these rods offer a surprisingly delightful and functional experience: they gently massage you as you slide from left to right. This playful interaction isn’t just “great fun”; it’s also designed to improve blood circulation by activating muscle groups and alleviating tension in the body, merging ergonomic benefits with interactive design. Hennig presented these alongside her striking new debut lighting product, an ethereal rope light that added a soft, atmospheric glow to her display, showcasing her versatility as a designer. These particular pieces were prominently featured in the VIP room, positioned alongside noteworthy designs from ByAlex, whose work I’ve had the pleasure of covering previously here, highlighting a continued thread of exceptional design.
Sony Life Space UX: Blending Technology with Ambient Living
Without doubt, the Sony Life Space UX stand, beautifully styled by The Conran Shop (and also prominently featured in the top image of this section), proved to be a magnet for attention. It embodied a forward-thinking approach to integrating technology seamlessly and elegantly into the home environment. We had the invaluable opportunity to engage in a fascinating conversation with Sony’s chief creative art director and other dedicated team members. They passionately articulated the company’s vision behind their latest design and lifestyle offerings, which are meticulously crafted to evoke specific “moments of ambience” within the home.
This innovative range includes the remarkably sleek 4K Ultra Short Throw Projector. This device isn’t just a projector; it’s an architectural element designed to deliver the ultimate immersive living room experience, casting vibrant, detailed images onto a wall from an incredibly short distance. Complementing this is the smaller, yet equally impressive, Portable Ultra Short Throw Projector. This highly coveted design is a testament to beauty, clever engineering, and unparalleled versatility, offering flexibility, entertainment, and immediate information in a truly portable form factor. Its potential applications, from projecting recipes onto a kitchen counter to creating dynamic backdrops, are limitless. You can witness more of its magic in action within my designjunction highlights video, accessible at the conclusion of this article.
Adding another layer to their innovative ecosystem, Sony also unveiled their new illuminated Glass Sound Speaker. This device is a marvel, delivering not only crystal clear, immersive sound that astonishingly evokes the sensation of live music played directly in the room, but also ambient lighting. Its elegant design and multi-sensory experience truly redefine what a speaker can be. I’m particularly excited to delve deeper into its capabilities, as Sony has very kindly sent one over for me to review in a forthcoming separate post.
In a world where technology can often become singularly obsessed with raw function, Sony’s Life Space UX range stands out. These new designs elegantly prove that emotion, aesthetic style, and the overall sensory experience are just as fundamentally important as technical specifications. By harmoniously integrating high-fidelity technology with sophisticated design, Sony is curating products that enrich daily life and transform living spaces into more engaging, ambient, and enjoyable environments. The full range of these pioneering products is currently available for purchase at premium retailers such as The Conran Shop and Harrods, making this forward-thinking design accessible to those who seek to elevate their home experience.
Curated Comfort and Timeless Design: Other Notable Discoveries
Beyond the major installations, several other designs at designjunction captured my keen attention, each showcasing a unique blend of functionality, aesthetics, and comfort. Among these were the consistently stylish modular shelving and storage displays from String. Styled with impeccable taste by Lotta Agaton, these timeless pieces exemplify Scandinavian design principles: minimalist elegance, exceptional versatility, and enduring quality. String shelving systems offer an adaptable solution for any interior, effortlessly combining form and function, proving that good design never goes out of style. Their ability to evolve with changing needs and spaces makes them a perennial favorite for design enthusiasts seeking both beauty and practicality.
Adding a touch of luxurious comfort was the super-comfy Basset lounge chair from Icons of Denmark. This inviting piece of furniture, with its generous proportions and plush upholstery, immediately conveyed an irresistible sense of relaxation. It’s the kind of chair that calls out to you after a long day, promising warmth and solace. I could instantly imagine curling up in it on a dark winter’s night, enveloped in its comfort with a good book and a warm drink – truly an ideal sanctuary.
Beyond the Exhibits: Culinary Delights and Creative Exploration
After an inspiring but energy-intensive exploration of Cubitt House and its myriad design innovations, a refuel was definitely in order. We indulged in a quick but utterly delicious lunch at Grain Store – a culinary gem renowned for its fresh, vibrant dishes and inviting atmosphere, providing the perfect pause. Revitalized, we then ventured to the other side of the monumental Granary Building to delve into the Brain Waves exhibition. This thought-provoking showcase presented a feast of conceptual design from the brilliant students of Central Saint Martins, offering a glimpse into the minds of future design leaders and their innovative approaches to contemporary challenges. It’s a reminder of the raw talent nurtured within LDF’s academic partners.
Following this, a whirlwind tour of the designjunction marketplace allowed us to appreciate the breadth of creative products on offer. From exquisite artisanal flowers to sophisticated furniture, innovative lighting solutions, and unique stationery, the marketplace was a testament to the diverse and vibrant design economy. Each stall offered something distinct, perfect for discovering a special memento or a unique piece to adorn a home or office. As the day drew to a close, we returned to Granary Square for a well-earned rest. We settled in to enjoy a live musical performance by the Tapestry string quartet, part of the immersive Dornbracht water experience. The elegant melodies, coupled with the soothing sounds of water and the lively ambiance of the square, provided an absolutely perfect and serene end to a day brimming with design discovery and inspiration.
For those who wish to visually experience more of our favorite moments and see what else we encountered throughout this captivating day at the London Design Festival, I invite you to watch this short film. It offers a dynamic recap of the Kings Cross Creative Quarter’s vibrant energy and the remarkable designs that made our visit truly unforgettable.
This post is supported by Sony. All views and opinions expressed are entirely my own.