24 – 26 May 2022
March 2022, London: Clerkenwell Design Week’s 11th edition celebrates design in London’s most creative district. Set across three days, 24th – 26th May 2022, CDW is the UK’s leading independent design festival, providing a welcome platform for brands to showcase their products and for the 125+ resident showrooms to open their doors to new audiences. The festival programme has been tailored to reflect the unique nature of this culturally rich area playing host to showrooms, fringe events, talks, workshops and installations.
Visitors can expect a show full of the latest designs, innovations and creative ideas, as well as hundreds of design-led fringe events, pop-ups, workshops, talks and showroom presentations. This year’s edition will feature ten exhibition venues, with three new for 2022. Once again, CDW will host a series of talks in Spa Fields by leading designers and architects tackling topical and newsworthy issues.
Cult Danish design brand HAY will also be presenting at CDW 2022, installing their stylish outdoor furniture within The Long Walk, part of Crypt on the Green, as well as hosting a number of events across the week. CDW’s official automotive sponsor Porsche will be showcasing the design brilliance of the Taycan within an interactive installation.
BAUX, designer and manufacturer of sustainable acoustic panels, will host the global launch of their new Wood Wool ceiling panels as part of an immersive experience – the ‘BAUX House of Acoustics’ – at Old Sessions House. Designed by BAUX Co-Founders, international design studio Form us With Love, the installation will feature talks and music across the three days.CDW will also feature a specially created Wellness Area created by acoustic panel specialist, Texaa.
Billi Taps will be supplying free drinking water with water taps located throughout Clerkenwell – visitors can bring their own bottles and fill up – a sustainable nod to the traditional Clerk’s Well that gave the area its name. Artist and designer Lois O’Hara will also be creating colourful visual installations across district over the three days.
CONVERSATIONS AT CLERKENWELL
Conversations at Clerkenwell always prompts lively debates and discussions on the current design scene. This year the talks series taking place across the week in a specially designed venue in Spa Fields. Curated by Katie Richardson, Conversations at Clerkenwell brings to life topics of the day with leading and emerging designers, architects, thought leaders and creative institutes.
Talk highlights for 2022 include New London Architecture, who will explore the revitalisation of town centres and a new ‘hybrid’ work pattern that impacts suburb vs the Greater London’s economy. Jonas Pettersson from Swedish design studio Form us With Love, will discuss movements in sustainability and the future of design, post-pandemic. Designer Adam Nathaniel Furman and Architectural Historian Joshua Mardell co-editors of ‘Queer Spaces’ for RIBA Books, will share some of the book’s historic, contemporary and speculative examples of Queer Spaces from around the world. Benchmark will join a panel on wellness, alongside Trifle*, looking specifically at workplace design and what progressive spaces now need, by way of space as well as materials. BIID will shine a light on some of the female talent within their roster of interior designers.
The 2022 talk space is designed by Fieldwork Architects, with a concept that 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 nature of the bandstand form allows the focus point to be partially in the round and engage the audience as a discussion, rather than a presentation. Daily yoga sessions will also take place in the Talks Space at 9:00am.
The full talks programme will be announced closer to the show.
SHOWROOMS
Integral to the festival are the local resident design showrooms – more of which are participating than ever before – providing an array of stimulating events from talks and workshops to major installations. Growing in synergy over the eleven editions of the festival, Clerkenwell has flourished as one of London’s creative hotspots. From CDW’s humble beginnings with less than 40 participating showrooms back in 2010 to over 125+ confirmed for 2022, this year’s show is truly bigger than ever before.
Arper will be presenting their new collections Mixu, Kata and Kinesit Met as well as a new edition of their Aston series. Mixu is a sustainable and versatile collection of chairs and stools designed in collaboration with international architectural and design practice Gensler. Kata by Altherr Désile Park is Arper’s first solid wood lounge chair designed with circular sustainability at its core. Fritz Hansen will be celebrating their 150th anniversary at CDW 2022, with a special installation to mark the event as well as previewing new products.
Andreu World, are also focusing on sustainability, presenting new circular designs at CDW 2022 by Patricia Urquiola, Benjamin Hubert and Philippe Starck. The French designer Philippe Starck has collaborated with Andreu World in three new sustainable seating collections: Adela Rex, Forest Club and Solo Chair. All of them are part of the 100% pure wood project, which brings together seats and tables, created in part or entirely with selected slow-growing wood from reforested forests that are harvested from the company’s own lands. Andreu World will also present the Nuez Lounge BIO® lounge chair, designed by Patricia Urquiola. Andreu World has developed a new bioplastic for Nuez that debuts with a lounge chair that, becoming part of the Nuez collection. The Nuez Lounge BIO® lounge chair is available in a range of four colours and is upholstered with the new Circular ONE® fabric made from PET bottle plastics and textile waste. Andreu World, are also hosting talks with Alfredo Haberli and Benjamin Hubert overseen by Jessica-Christin Hametner, Editor-in-Chief of OnOffice.
Italian design brand, Ethimo, which specialises in high-quality outdoor furnishings will be presenting new lounge sets, including the Sling range by Studiopepe, Venexia Collection by Luca Nichetto, Ace by Patrick Nourguet and Calipso by Ilaria Marelli. They will also be presenting the Gaia collection of outdoor lighting by Marc Sadler.
British design company, Morgan Furniture with be presenting their Kaya collection for the first time at CDW 2022. Taking its name from sacred forests spread along 200 km of the Kenyan coast, Kaya finds its roots in the openness, honesty and purity of trees. The crafted timber frames, gentle curves and soft upholstery are designed to provide relaxed luxury.
Smart working company, Orangebox celebrates twenty years at CDW 2022. The company will be bringing their recent launches to this year’s festival. Basque Living will bring leading brands from the Basque region of Spain to present in their showroom. Including Ondaretta, Treku, Sellux, Daisalux, Enea and Ojmar. Leading Spanish company, Kettal are another new brand participating as part of CDW 2022, presenting their latest outdoor furniture and workspace products in their new showroom space.
New to Clerkenwell, Fritz Fryer Lighting will be participating for the first time at CDW 2022 in their brand-new showroom. Originally opened in 1982, Fritz Fryer gained a favourable reputation in antique light restoration, in the quaint Herefordshire market town of Ross-on-Wye. The company are now known for their unique, high quality contemporary lighting, which they design, make and sell with components sourced almost exclusively in the UK.
EXHIBITIONS
CDW’s exhibitions are hosted in distinctive spaces – both purpose built and historical venues – around the area linked by a route running through the centre of EC1. For 2022, there are ten exhibitions, each with a different curatorial focus, ranging from cutting edge international design, to emerging talent, lighting, luxury interiors and the best of British design.
New for 2022 is Covered sponsored by RAK Ceramics, an exhibition dedicated to interior surfaces. Forming part of a new festival location in Charterhouse Square, Covered will display the best in surface design and material innovation, and Contract where visitors can view the latest products for commercial interiors. Also new for 2022 is the ITA – Italian Trade Agency who are working in collaboration with the Ceramics Association of Italy to showcase nine brands in a specially built venue next to St John’s Gate.
Clerkenwell’s subterranean House of Detention, previously a prison in the mid-19th century will showcase Light + Rising Stars where a host ofnew and upcoming designers will exhibit alongside leading lighting brands. POP, the former cold store turned nightclub will be essential to visit, hosting pop-up brand activations and immersive experiences throughout the 3 days of CDW.
British Collection
Now in its fifth year, British Collection is located in the atmospheric Crypt of St James’ Church. British Collection presents new design originating from Britain. Designers from all over the UK will bring their latest furniture, lighting and product designs within this historically rich space, showcasing craft techniques, quality materials and design excellence.
Highlights within the British Collection include British design brand, Benchmark, who are creating a large-scale standalone display, as well as CDW favourites Dare Studio, Another Country and Roger Lewis. Forest to Home will also present their beautiful highly sustainable furnishings created out of wood off-cuts. London based lighting design company Hand & Eye Studio will be presenting as part of British Collection for 2022. Hand & Eye will showcase their brand-new Mela and Melina collections designed by Mentsen, as well as the handmade Morandi collection designed and produced in collaboration with ceramicist and expert glazer Linda Bloomfield.
Design Fields
Situated at the northern end of Clerkenwell, Design Fields will host a busy hub, showcasing leading furniture, textiles and product design from all around the world, from kitchens to bathrooms to the workplace. Design Fields will feature international design brands like Thonet, TON, and Punt, as well as additional new exhibitor at CDW, Danish company, WOUD and The Furniture Studio, a leading contemporary design company from India.
Italian design brand, Cizeta, are presenting the Grado collection by Mikko Laakkonen and Derby by Roberto Romanello of seating for the first time. Grado features soft curves and an ample backrest, making it recognizable as well as ergonomic, comfortable and durable. Derby is a collection of ash wood seating, featuring clear stylistic references to the work of the Scandinavian masters of the fifties and sixties with their clean, elegant lines. LaCividina, another Italian company exhibiting as part of CDW 2022 will bring their latest collections, including their new Node+ collection.
Also in Design Fields will be Natuzzi Italia who will be previewing the new 2022 collection as part of their Circle of Harmony exhibition, featuring works by Sabine Marcelis, Formafantasma, Patrick Nourguet, Marcel Wanders Studio, Lorenza Boxxoli, Massimo Iosa Ghini, Marco Piva and Elena Salmistaro. The works on show are focused on functionality, sustainability, and well-being under the title of a ‘new Era of Harmony’.
Light + Rising Stars
Held within the subterranean House of Detention, the former Victorian prison will showcase an array of leading international lighting brands with spectacular stand-alone installations, whilst shining the light on new brands and designers starting to make waves within the industry.
The House of Detention will be filled with top lighting brands including Italian companies, Artemide and Penta Light, and British brands, Spark and Bell and John Cullen Lighting, among others. The brands featuring will also be taking on a design challenge to each take over a cell of the Victorian prison to create mini lighting installations. Other highlights showing in Light + Rising Stars will be Patagonian textile designer based in London, Cindy Lilen Studio, creating a large-scale installation made of multiple types of textile lamps that are inspired by the Mapuche culture original from Patagonia, Anna Hayman Design, Rankin Rugs and two spaces by Studio Arvor.
Elements
Elements brings together a leading selection of ironmongery, hardware, switch plates and architectural accessories within a street-market style pavilion on St John’s Square, becoming a go-to destination for designers looking for the perfect final finish.
Featured in Elements include brands like British company, Swarf Hardware, who design and produce contemporary, considered hardware that aims to enhance how people interact with their spaces every day. Swarf will be presenting a new collection with Adam Nathaniel Furman as well as a recent collaboration of decorative hanging bells, ‘Chimes’, with renowned designer Yuri Suzuki. Other highlights at Elements will also include Armac Martin, Dowsing and Reynolds, Dutch brand, Hotspot Titanium and British designer, Samuel Heath.
Detail
Detail at The Order of St. John reflects principles of fine craftsmanship and high glamour, showcasing the most prestigious names in luxury interiors. Selected brands feature throughout the venue’s majestic Church, Crypt and Cloister Garden. For 2022, Detail will feature a new room by Meridiani, who will be creating a pop-up experience in the space. Sinclair Till will also be taking over the whole of the underground crypt to create an immersive space. Other highlights will include Kirkby Design and Arte.
POP
The former cold-store turned nightclub creates a stunning backdrop for showcasing pop-up brand activations, as well as immersive experiences.
Highlights for 2022 include Case Furniture, who are taking over a whole room at Fabric, and will be celebrating the 70th birthday of their iconic 675 Robin Day chair – a design that has truly stood the test of time, the 675 Chair designed by Robin Day is one of the most recognised of the Twentieth Century. The company will also be presenting the release of the Ella range designed by Matthew Hilton, which includes lounge chair with ottoman as well as dining chairs in various finishes, as well as their lighting ranges. Lighting brands, XAL and LED C4 will also be creating a large-scale, floor-to-ceiling light installation in the space. Pop will also feature AGO a beautiful Korean lighting brand, and a new exhibitor at CDW.
Project
Set in the Garden of St James within the beautiful grounds of Clerkenwell’s parish church, Project brings together a leading selection of contract furniture, lighting and surface brands from around the globe. Highlights at Project include Evoline, Recork, as well as German brand, Viasit, who are new to CDW and presenting several new launches at the fair including furniture pieces for the workspace that fit just as well in the home environment.
Contract *new for 2022*
Contract showcases innovative and forward-thinking products for commercial interiors. This new exhibition is set within the beautiful grounds of Kingsway Garden, offering exclusive access CDW. Highlights at Contract include Abraham Moon & Sons, a new exhibitor at CDW with a beautiful collection of tweed furnishings, for the contract market – all made in Yorkshire. British brand, William Hands – another new brand to CDW – known for its high-quality craftsmanship, will also sit next to Abraham Moon & Sons in the space, working together on a collaborative stand design.
Covered *new for 2022*
From walls to floors across the commercial, residential and hospitality sectors, Covered is another new exhibition for 2022, dedicated to interior surfaces. Forming part of a new festival location in Charterhouse Square, discover the best in surface design and material. Covered is sponsored by global bathroom brand, RAK Ceramics, also a brand-new showroom launching during CDW 2022. Highlights at Covered include Italian brand L’ARCA, as well as Leonardo and the Panariagroup.
ITA – Italian Trade Agency *new for 2022*
Another exciting addition for 2022 is a dedicated venue for the ITA – Italian Trade Agency who are creating a space in collaboration with the Ceramic Association of Italy. The new venue features nine of the leading ceramic and surface brands from Italy, presenting a bespoke build by CDW creating a gallery space for their large-scale ceramic works. The new space will be situated close to St John’s Gate.
FRINGE ACTIVITIES
As well as hosting an abundance of furniture and interiors showrooms, Clerkenwell is also home to a variety of other creative practices including architects, branding agencies and craft studios. In celebration of CDW’s return, manyof these local practiceswill throw open their doors to the festival’s visitors and host workshops, displays and installations.
After a two-year hiatus, there is great enthusiasm and excitement among creatives in the area about the new edition of CDW and the return of the iconic pink trail.