Clerkenwell Design Week (CDW) is set to return to London's creative district this spring from 24th - 26th May. Since it made its debut in 2009, CDW has become one of the UK’s leading independent design festivals, and for 2022, the identity for CDW has been inspired by the printing and craft industries that make up a big part of Clerkenwell’s creative history.
In 2019 Clerkenwell Design Week welcomed 34,185 attendees and over 300+ exhibiting brands. This year, Barbican and Charterhouse Square will form part of the ‘trail’, and visitors can expect a show full of the latest designs, innovations and creative ideas, installations celebrating the history of Clerkenwell, as well as hundreds of design-led fringe events, pop-ups, workshops, talks and showroom presentations. Once again, CDW will host a series of talks in Spa Fields by leading designer and architects tackling topical and newsworthy issues.
Across EC1, there will be nine different exhibitions, in both purpose-built and historical venues, all showcasing a curated mix of leading brands and emerging talent covering furniture, lighting, textiles, surfaces, accessories and product design from around the world. New for 2022 is Covered, an exhibition dedicated to interior surfaces. Forming part of a new festival location in Charterhouse Square, Covered will display the best in surface design and material innovation. Also new for 2022 is Contract, where visitors can view the latest products for commercial interiors, located within Kingsway Garden. Clerkenwell’s subterranean House of Detention, founded as a prison in the mid-19th century, will showcase Light and Rising Stars – new and upcoming designers and design brands.
Each year, one of the highlights of the show is CDW Presents, showcasing specially commissioned, site-specific street spectacles across Clerkenwell. Conversations at Clerkenwell has always been a popular event, with a specially designed venue in Spa Fields. Designed by Fieldwork Architects, the concept for the CDW 2022 Talk Space reimagines the traditional Victorian bandstand as a focal point within the Park, a place for gathering, discussion, entertainment and shelter. Rather than a traditional forward facing seating arrangement, the nature of the bandstand form allows the focus point to be partially in the round and engage the audience as a discussion, rather than a presentation.
A large number of design brands have their showrooms in the area, and around 115 showrooms are expected to take part in 2022's edition.
