Designjunction announces new venue
Taking place on 22-25 September, designjunction has announced its relocation to a new long-term home in King’s Cross, one of most exciting urban redevelopments in the UK.
As a leading exhibition for contemporary interior design and culture, designjunction is held annually in London and New York, with more than 200 contemporary brands presenting their new collections to an international audience of architects, interior designers, retailers and media. With the support of the King’s Cross development partnership, designjunction will take over the area for its flagship show during London Design Festival.
Expanding over 67 acres, the King’s Cross site possesses a rich history and unique appeal. The former industrial heartland is being transformed into one of the capital’s most exciting destinations, with the redevelopment of the area creating 1,900 new homes, 20 new streets, 10 new public parks and squares and 3 million ft² of commercial office space and cultural attractions. The move to the larger site marks the next chapter for designjunction and the creation of the King’s Cross Design District at this year’s London Design Festival. The theme of the 2016 designjunction show will be ‘Immersed in Design’.
Managing director of designjunction, Deborah Spencer comments “This is an incredibly exciting time for designjunction. King’s Cross stands at the heart of the design and architectural community, with an inspiring cultural scene, thriving business district and strong industrial heritage,” says managing director of designjunction, Deborah Spencer.
“Our choice of location is pioneering; King’s Cross is on the brink of transformation, attracting renewed commercial interest, new development, new occupiers and regeneration. King’s Cross is fast emerging as a creative hub and we are delighted to bring one of the most influential and exciting elements of the London Design Festival to this increasingly dynamic and contemporary London destination.”
Designjunction 2016 will host four distinct exhibition sites against the industrial backdrop of King’s Cross: The Crossing, running through the Central Saint Martins building, will provide the show’s registration point as well as a platform for specially commissioned installations and flash factories; The centrally located Granary Square will feature ten custom exhibitions for headline sponsored projects and installations; Cubitt, a two-floor pavilion in Lewis Cubitt Square, will have a strong trade focus, featuring the best in contemporary lighting in the ‘lightjunction’ as well as furniture from international design brands including Haberdashery, Lindholt, Northern Lighting, String, Kirkby Design, Modus and Rubn; and The Canopy will provide a temporary pop-up venue for premium retail brands, including technology, and textiles, whilst the large market area will take shape under a heritage protected wrought iron structure.
Anna Strongman, partner at Argent concludes: “King’s Cross has a rich history of industrial design – the gasholders, grain stores and railway itself were all outputs of our country’s creative heritage: “This is coming to the fore once more as the area attracts students, businesses and residents with a passion for the Arts. We are excited about designjunction arriving, and see it as further endorsement of King’s cross’ great reputation.”
