Clerkenwell was once the quiet center of monastic life outside the walls of the City of London. Its fortunes have changed dramatically these days: Clerkenwell is now home to the largest concentration of creative businesses, designers, scientists, media workers and architects per square mile than anywhere else on the planet, making it truly one of the most important design centers in the world. the world.
Each year in May, this small neighborhood in central London becomes the international hub of the design community for three days during the Clerkenwell Independent Design Festival.
The organizers traditionally present new design projects and outdoor installations designed specifically for the festival and the Clerkenwell area. Created by leaders in the creative industry, these projects aim to change the boundaries of design in terms of concept, process and material possibilities.
These projects are designed to challenge the perception of festival participants and visitors, as well as to inspire and entertain them. This year the festival took place from 19 to 21 May. In 2015, among the participants were architectural bureaus Cousins + Cousins architects, Gruppe, Monotype, Russ + Henshaw, Johnson Tiles, Grimshaw Architects, Sebastian Cox, Laura Ellen Bacon and many others.
One of these projects was commissioned by the Swiss design bureau GRUPPE. The architects were asked to organize the territory of the entire Clerkenwell district in such a way that visitors would feel the atmosphere of the festival already crossing the boundaries of the quarter and walking around it, as if it were a separate small city of designers.
The project was named "Vita Contemplativa". With the support of the EQUITON brand, GRUPPE designers have installed totems of colorful building blocks on the streets of Clerkenwell. This “street furniture”, based on two Roman architectural elements - columns and forums, located throughout the quarter during the festival, gives visitors the opportunity to immediately enter the environment of the design holiday.
Columns were installed at the north and south ends of St. John's Road, as well as at the west and east ends of Clerkenwell Road, marking the boundaries of the festival. One kiosk-like forum, with stepped platforms, stands at the entrance to Farringdon Station, while another can be found at Exmouth Market.
All compositions are faced with EQUITON facade panels in pastel colors, in five different shades. The shades are matched to the existing urban development. Facade panels make architectural forms look like those built from huge building blocks for children.
