Dezeen Magazine

Designjunction 2014 to host live "Flash Factory" workshops and pop-up restaurants

Dezeen promotion: this year's edition of designjunction 2014 is set to host bespoke restaurants, pop-up shops and a series of live industrial workshops.

Running from Thursday 18 to Sunday 21 September 2014 during London Design Festival, designjunction 2014 will bring together more than 180 international design, retail and innovation brands in a showcase across four floors of The Sorting Office on New Oxford Street.

Plan Necklace by Dowse – Above: cards by HAM
Plan Necklace by Dowse – Above: cards by HAM

A section of the ground floor will host a number of live "Flash Factories", where a selection of design and craft businesses including Irish crystal manufacturer Waterford Crystal and tile specialists Bert & May will demonstrate parts of their industrial processes.

The Convert Vase by Another Studio
The Convert Vase by Another Studio

British manufacturer Coakley & Cox will carry out live upholstery at the show using traditional techniques, while Waterford Crystal will show off the workmanship of its master cutters.

Upholstery components by Coakley & Cox
Upholstery components by Coakley & Cox

Bert & May is to make its designjunction debut in 2014, where it will be hand-making tiles using a hydraulic press from rural Andalusia, Spain, and also launching its new Fletcha collection.

Skeleton Flame Cushion by Georgia Bosson
Skeleton Flame Cushion by Georgia Bosson

Twenty-five brands including Outline Editions, Punkt and Magma will set up pop-up shops throughout the ground floor of the venue – selling design-led products ranging from fashion accessories to watches, books, lighting and more.

Also on the ground floor, Tom Dixon will set up a Factory Outlet shop and Alessi will present a pop-up shop and café.

Rabbit Light by Room 9
Rabbit Light by Room 9

Attendees will also have the chance to visit a number of cafés and restaurants organised by Transport for London and coffee specialists La Marzocco.

David David new umbrella collection
David David new umbrella collection

The Chilean Embassy will host a wine bar on the first floor of the former postal sorting office, while Asahi Beer has partnered with Foundry to create a specially designed bar in the basement.

Click here to see the full list of eateries at the show »

For more information about designjunction 2014 or to book tickets visit thedesignjunction.co.uk

Here's more information from the event organiser:


Part of our ground floor will once again be transformed into a series of interactive Flash Factories where the processes of industrial production will be brought to life through live demonstrations and on-site manufacture. Flash Factories will be presented by Coakley & Cox, Waterford Crystal, Bert & May and Soderlund Davidson. Read on for full details on each.

Plantini Mini Planthouse by Another Studio
Plantini Mini Planthouse by Another Studio

Coakley & Cox

Norfolk-based Coakley & Cox will be bringing its bespoke upholstery team to manufacture live on-site. Coakley & Cox specialise in the design and production of sustainable contemporary upholstery pieces, manufacturing for high-end furniture brands including SCP, Heal's, James UK and leading American design store The Future Perfect.

Its team will be showing exactly how upholstery is completed in the factory using time-honoured techniques. Visitors will see how frames are traditionally glued and screwed together and then upholstered by hand with natural fibres, animal hair and wool.

A Waterford Crystal master cutter at work
A Waterford Crystal master cutter at work

Waterford Crystal

Irish crystal manufacturer, Waterford Crystal, will be bringing two of  its crystal cutting systems to the show, giving visitors live demonstrations of its master cutter at work.

Each master cutter trains for a minimum of eight years and works using a diamond-tipped wheel. Intricate designs are cut to create clear and sparkling pieces which are the distinctive hallmark of Waterford Crystal.

Coakley & Cox will give live upholstery demonstrations
Coakley & Cox will give live upholstery demonstrations

Bert & May

Newcomers to the show,Bert & May offer the very best in tiling, including reclaimed, bespoke and handmade tiles. Join Bert & May at its Flash Factory on the ground floor where they will be hand making tiles live on site using an original hydraulic press from rural Andalusia, Spain – the same equipment which has been used in artisan tile making for over 100 years. At its ground floor space, Bert May will also be launching its unique Fletcha collection.

Silver Superhero Rabbit and Mint Reflective Rabbit screen prints by HAM
Silver Superhero Rabbit and Mint Reflective Rabbit screen prints by HAM

Shop the show

A number of exciting new pop-up shops and high-end design stores will create a first-rate retail experience throughout the show. More than 25 retailers will set up shops across the ground floor to provide design-savvy visitors with a truly unique shopping experience. Products available will range from high-end fashion accessories and fine jewellery to watches, ceramics, glassware, books, lighting and more. Key retail brands will include Outline Editions, Punkt, Magma, Places & Spaces, and Native Union.

Tajine Ceramic Pendant Light by Room 9
Tajine Ceramic Pendant Light by Room 9

Bars and restaurants

designjunction 2014 will present a host of high-end eateries and bars across all four floors this September.

Second floor – Transport for London Restaurant

Celebrating the year of the bus, Transport for London (TfL), will present an exclusively designed restaurant on the second floor in partnership with the East London Liquor Company.  The restaurant, designed by designjunction 2014 creative director, Michael Sodeau, will feature a huge version of the General Map of Outer London, archive photography of buses and bus workers from TfL archives and a wall made from reclaimed vintage enamel bus stops.

The space will be furnished by leading British furniture brand, Modus, with pieces upholstered in the latest TfL fabrics from Kirkby Design. The space will be atmospherically lit using products from leading lighting brands Anglepoise and NUD.

First Floor – La Marzocco Café and Chilean Wine Bar

Italian artisan coffee experts, La Marzocco, will create an authentic Italian café on the first floor, bringing a brand new roaster and serving a new brand of coffee each day. For a true taste of Italy, ice cream experts Gelupo will also be serving exclusive ice cream flavours 'designed' by our creative director, Michael Sodeau. Setting the café alive, artist Vic Lee will be creating live murals on the surrounding walls, painting a new design each day.

The first floor also boasts an on-site wine bar from the Chilean Embassy who will be serving an array of the finest Chilean wines.

Reflect Coalport Saucer by Richard Brendon
Reflect Coalport Saucer by Richard Brendon

Ground Floor – Alessi pop-up Café

On the ground floor iconic Italian design brand Alessi will run a pop-up café and bar serving aperitivos the Italian way and coffee from artisan coffee makers Noble Espresso. The concept for the café has been created by architect, Mario Trimarchi and will feature Piana chairs by David Chipperfield for Alessi and Castore suspension lights by Artemide.

The café will be illustrated with floor to ceiling graphics inspired by the Alessi Super & Popular collection; a selection of Alessi’s most famous products produced in last 60 years, alongside the history of Alessi’s iconic coffee makers.

Alongside the Alessi café the Italian power brand will also set up a pop-up shop on the ground floor, presenting the new Super and Popular Collection.

Basement – Foundry Bar and Lounge, supported by Asahi Beer

After venturing downstairs to our lightjunction hub visitors can enjoy a drink and live music at our basement bar and lounge. The underground bar will be designed and created by lighting design consultancy, Foundry, and is supported by Asahi Beer, the official lightjunction drinks partner.

La Conica by Alessi
La Conica by Alessi

About designjunction:

Designjunction has firmly established itself as the leading destination for contemporary interior design and culture. Known for its dynamic selection of cutting-edge global brands, the company is a pioneer at bringing together leading industry names within an expertly curated space. It takes place annually during the London Design Festival and Salone del Mobile, Milan.

In 2013, designjunction featured more than 150 world-class international brands set against the industrial backdrop of a 1960s Sorting Office in the heart of central London. The five day exhibition attracted more than 21,000 visitors and was seven times larger than when it was first launched in its original format in 2011.

In April 2014, designjunction launched the fourth edition of EDIT by designjunction in Milan. It was a curated offering of the flagship London show and took over an historic 18th-century building in Milan’s fashion district. The show attracted more than 10,000 visitors in five days.

Tweet @_designjunction #dj14 or like us on Facebook: Designjunctionevent

Punkt. DP 01 cordless phone
Punkt. DP 01 cordless phone

designjunction 2014 opening times:

Wednesday 18 September: 7-9:30pm, Private VIP Opening
Thursday 18 September: 10am - 9pm
Friday 19 September: 10am - 8pm
Saturday 20 September: 10am – 8pm
Sunday 21 September: 11am – 5pm

www.thedesignjunction.co.uk