5 ways to make the most out of your visit to Clerkenwell Design Week 2017
Celebrating its 8th year in May (23rd - 25th) the award-winning Clerkenwell Design Week has firmly established itself as the UK’s leading independent design festival and annually attracts the international design community to this small area of London for three days of exciting events.
Once again, Portsdown will be heading to this flagship event to discover new and exciting products that can be incorporated into the designs we create for our clients.
But what if you haven't been before, or just want to make sure you make the most out of your time at CDW? Here are our tips for your visit this year...
1. View the latest and greatest designs in furniture
Get yourself around the local design showrooms to see the best in show for furniture design. These resident showrooms include a variety of events over the course of the week, including talks, workshops and product launches and are an integral part of the festival.
With 115 showrooms to choose from, make sure you plan ahead and select a handful that you want to make sure you visit during your time at CDW 2017. Luckily there is a full list of showrooms on the CDW website that you can filter by - from Workplace Furniture, Fabrics & Textiles, and Acoustics, to Flooring, Surfaces, and Lighting - there's something for everyone.
2. Go exploring!
Discover varying design styles across the six different exhibition venues that cover leading furniture, lighting, textile, surface, accessory, and product design from around the world.
There are six venues to explore around Clerkenwell during your visit - "Design Fields", "Platform", "Additions", "Project", "British Collection", and "Detail". Each venue has a different focus, including new design talent, leading furniture brands, interior accessories, and craftmanship.
All venues are open from 10:00 - 21:00 everyday during the event, but check out all the details and locations on the CDW website here.
3. Plan ahead using the Programme
With so much going on over the course of the 3 days, it's best to plan ahead to get the most out your visit. The programme of events is the best way to do this - select the day you want to view and filter events by venue, event type, and time.
4. Book a conversation...
Conversations at Clerkenwell is a programme of talks spread out over the 3 days and explores current industry issues hosted by high-calibre speakers. You can also network with fellow A&D professionals at each event, but book up early to avoid disappointment.
The majority of talks include a cost of £5 (plus booking fee), but there are a few that are free to attend. Details and booking of all talks is available on the CDW website here.
5. Grab a bite to eat!
With all the walking around, you'll need to keep your energy up! Luckily, Clerkenwell is home to an abundance of world-leading, exquisite restaurants and eateries and each year, 25 food and drink partners offer up a variety of discounts and deals to CDW visitors.
A few extras...
If you get the chance and want the full Clerkenwell Design Week experience, try and get along to the design projects and street spectales of CDW Presents, the showcase of top international design brands at Icon House of Culture taking place at Fabric nightclub, and the open doors of the local creative practices including architects, branding agencies and craft studios taking part in Fringe.
For more information on Clerkenwell Design Week and to register, visit www.clerkenwelldesignweek.com