Shoreditch is known for it’s super cool hipster masses full of creative types that add design energy to the area. As part of London Design Festival the Shoreditch Design Triangle hosted heaps of events and pop up installations.
Amongst the busy LDF schedule I managed to check some of it out, here are my best bits in case you didn’t manage to visit.
Most mornings that involve lugging yourself around town on and off the tube during rush hour should start with coffee. Scoot on over to Shoreditch Grind just on the roundabout by Old Street Station.
Industrial interior meets bright beaming red furnishings and most importantly the breakfast is pretty decent too!
Strong coffee and bold interiors mean it’ll give you just the buzz you need for the day. Plus they play some killer tunes early in the morning that will help you wake up.
Through the glowing neon underpass at Old Street Station was Rothschild & Bickers pop up shop.
They offer a mix of hand-blown glass lighting in fun colours and sculptural shapes.
Vast selections of finishes are on offer in a beautifully bright range of hues for all those #colouraddicts.
The showstopper piece was the Mineral Pendant, liquid glass makes the material form intricate veining and stunning marble-like patterns. Ideal brand to keep in mind if you want British design that clearly shows attention to expert craftsmanship.
Just a few steps down the road were Asif Khan’s Mini Living project. An installation spread in three different locations, offering places that provide escapism in the mist of the city chaos.
The concept being that users will activate the spaces and make every side of town ‘Your Side of Town.’
The first spot had a forest feel as you enter there are seats to unwind and absorb the space.
Users sat within the installation catching up with friends, reading books and simply relaxing in the middle of town.
The carefully curated plant life was by horticulturalist Jin Ahn; visitors were able to take home the plants during the festival.
The next forest was something rather spectacular an unassuming stilted structure stood in the middle of the pavement.
Passers by queued up to take turns hopping inside. Once inside, the sounds of the city disappeared and you felt like you were in a very tranquil space.
The structure had tonnes of plants dotted around and instantly provided a boost of calm that meant it was very hard to leave.
The last part of the project was the largest installation set in Charles Square amongst the greenery.
The planting was mainly located on the exterior compared to the other two structures.
I typically liked that you could walk around the outside of the space and absorb the different angles.
People sat outside relaxing by the installation and there seemed to be a vast community of designers drawing the space.
En route to my next stop, I passed through some eye-popping street art that is irresistible to the happy snapper like myself.
I reached Lee Broom; the British designer completely revamped the entire showroom to create an interactive installation.
The piece proved to be one of the most excitable elements in the festival, creating huge flocks of designers.
As you cans see the space known as Opticality created mind-boggling optical illusions with the monochromatic opaque glass light.
The mirror cladding along the floor, ceiling and walls added layer upon layer of lighting through illusions.
Hands down one of the most innovative pieces I spotted throughout the festival.
Lastly but not least I spotted this illuminated canopy with jewel-like reflections gleaming against the city lights.
What was your favourite part of LDF this year?
