Designjunction reveals speaker schedule

Designjunction has announced details of its talks programme, which celebrates design as a powerful component in everyday life with focus on equality and diversity. Taking place in the Bargehouse at Oxo Tower Wharf alongside other live activities and experiential events, the programme encompasses 14 sessions and will see 50 speakers take to the stage for a series of lively discussions and debates with high profile designers and creative brands.

On the agenda, industrial designer Benjamin Hubert will provide an insight into Experiences with Meaning – the inner workings of his design agency Layer and his latest work with Kite and Nolii, while Sam Bompas, co-founder of Bompas & Parr; Katrina Larkin, co-founder of pro-working space Fora; Peter Carlton, film producer at Wrap Films; and Job Smeets, founder of Studio Job will explore the growing phenomenon of experiential design across diverse disciplines.

Elsewhere, as the south of the river area of Bankside has been undergoing a revival, with new urban and place-making opportunities, Tracy Meller; Partner at Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners; Alex Lifschutz, Director of Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands; Toby Neilson, Director of Architecture at BDG architecture + Design; and George Nicholson, Board Member of Coin Street Community Builders are set to examine the district with the architects behind NEO Bankside and the Illuminated River project, shedding light on the riverside and its place in the London’s urban landscape and Coin Street – the community initiative fostering the area.

Beyond Architects’ Egos – The Real Future of Architecture, meanwhile, will discuss the role of architecture in place-making, community building, connecting cultures and creating accessible cities with Jonathan Ashmore; founder of Anarchitect; Sarah Featherstone, Director of Featherstone Young Architects; and Sarah Castle, Director and co-founder of IF_DO.

The values of this year’s #designevery theme will also be covered in a talk between RIBA and Designjunction’s chosen charity, the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust. Sonia Watson, CEO of the charity, will explain the trust’s belief that every young person, regardless of their background, should have the opportunity and support to flourish in a society that treats them with fairness and respect.

www.thedesignjunction.co.uk