The fact that Landmark projects are among the main protagonists of the London Design Festival since its first edition is certain. Maybe it’s because of the spectacular installations commissioned to the most talented artists of the moment. Or perhaps it’s because of the topics discussed and their ability to generate new discussions and food for thought. Anyway, this year, the London festival will once again be rich with events for design lovers.
How? Through two initiatives centred on fun and experience. The first is Villa Walala, which got its name from the English-French artist Camille Walala, one of the most popular names of the moment. Camille is famous around London for her colourful graffiti, for having painted schools or private houses, especially in Hackney, and for her graphics for pop-up stores and neighbourhood bars. This time, she built a lively village with an unexpected architectural landscape in the heart of Broadgate. By using vinyl, sealed PVC grafts and highly resistant nylon, she built a blocks castle with a soft structure, covered and coloured with digitally printed patterns. A series of balloons with different shapes will be available for visitors, who will play with the environment creating different scenarios. The aim is to improve the creativity of the area and to create a strong contrast between the grey city and this colourful installation.
The second one is Mini Living Urban Cabin, an installation commissioned by the automotive company to the Sam Jacob Studio in the courtyard in front of Oxo Tower. MINI has been exploring future urban habitats based on a creative use of space through innovative design. As part of their long-term research project, this years’ protagonist is a micro-house made of a series of modular cabins as meeting spaces for passers-by.
“In an increasingly urbanised world, we can use design to make spaces around the city more useful and significant” explains Oke Hauser, creative director at MINI LIVING (who we already met last year to talk about the installation commissioned to Asif Khan).
On the exterior, this mini-house is inspired by the geometric façades of London, while interiors were conceived as flexible spaces that could honour the eccentricity and creativity that make London unique.
The specular surface creates a game of reflection with the surrounding space, blending present and past together.
“Combinations, junctions and fusions always fascinated me. I have always been interested into understanding how projects can take inspirations from different sources to create new things” explains Sam Jacob.
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