London Design Biennale x Aram

The London Design Biennale is offering Aram customers a chance to win: • A pair of tickets to the Biennale evening launch party on 8 September plus a pre-event Utopia cocktail at the Savoy Hotel • One of five pairs of tickets to the VIP afternoon preview tour on 6 September To enter, email [email protected] with LDB16 x Aram in the subject. Winners will be announced on Friday 2 September. Please note that by entering you will be subscribed to our newsletter.

LONDON DESIGN BIENNALE AT SOMERSET HOUSE This September we look forward to visiting the latest addition to the UK’s cultural calendar, the London Design Biennale at nearby Somerset House. Created by the London Design Festival team (although it’s an independent entity), the first Biennale sees a diverse range of 36 countries present specially commissioned works on the subject of Utopia by Design. The theme celebrates the 500th anniversary of Thomas More’s fictional text ‘Utopia’. This has naturally encouraged participants to explore issues such as sustainability, migration, pollution, energy, urbanisation and social equality.

“A map of the world that does not include Utopia is not worth even glancing at, for it leaves out the one country at which Humanity is always landing. And when Humanity lands there, it looks out, and, seeing a better country, sets sail. Progress is the realisation of Utopias.” Oscar Wilde, 1910

Barber & Osgerby collaborate with the Victoria and Albert Museum to present the UK wind powered kinetic installation Forecast. The piece harks back to Britain’s maritime history, as well as inviting the viewer to contemplate how as an island nation we could better utilise our geography for the production of clean power. Forecast will take centre stage in the Somerset House courtyard.

Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby are well versed in representing Britain at high-profile events, having designed the 2012 Olympic Torch. With a diverse body of work spanning multi disciplines, notable designs are Tip Ton chair and Mariposa sofa for Vitra, Steelwood collection of furniture for Magis and the new Olio range of tableware for British manufacturer Royal Doulton.

[caption id="attachment_2457" style="text-align: center;" width="740"] The Tip Ton chair - Vitra[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2458" style="text-align: center;" width="740"] The Mariposa sofa - Vitra[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2459" style="text-align: center;" width="740"] Olio range of ceramics for Royal Doulton[/caption]

London Design Biennale describes a Somerset House bursting with ‘interactive installations, innovations, artworks and proposed design solutions - all in an immersive, inspiring and entertaining tour of the world’. A statement from each country is presented on the Biennale’s website with entries including Konstantin Grcic & Olivia Herms’ Utopia Means Elsewhere for Germany, Chile’s Counterculture Room, Austria’s LeveL and Poland’s ‘Cadavre Exquis’.

Germany: Utopia Means Elsewhere

Chile: Counterculture Room

Austria: LeveL

Poland: Cadavre Exquis

[caption id="attachment_2464" style="text-align: center;" width="740"] Diana Tables, designed by Konstantin Grcic for ClassiCon[/caption]