Visit to this Year’s 100% Design Exhibition

By Alex 02-08-2021

100% design exhibition in London was our destination to see the latest developments in consumer design. We thought we’d share with you some of the products that stopped us in our tracks….

It was that time of year again where 100% design takes over Earls Court in London to showcase the latest architectural, interior and product design work of the past year. This year’s event proved to be another great spectacle of talent both established and emerging from within the UK design industry as well as from oversees, with exhibitions from Australia, Taipei, Korea and many other countries. It was great to see such a wealth of variety on offer, with products ranging from start-ups right through to multi-nationals on display, paying testament to the belief of the 100% design team in supporting emerging designers.

On our walk around we noticed a number of intriguing, innovative and at times amusing products which we thought we’d share with you…

1. Branch

-A wall mounted modular lighting system using energy efficient LED technology.

Lighting products can often be seen as mundane objects, with little imagination aside from the shade wrapped around the light bulb. The Branch product has turned those views on their head, with a lighting system where the user is at the centre of its conception. Having the ability to interact with the product to such an extent could revitalise the way in which we see light as a tangible entity, enriching the user experience through personalisation and tactility.
You can find more about the project here: http://delightinlight.org/
Or on Twitter: @delightlight

2. JDD

-A duo focused upon designing quality furniture which caters for evolving spaces.

this is just one example of a great set of well thought through furniture pieces, designed around the modern view of space and how it can typically shift in use and meaning. Design is regarded at the highest level, with a true appreciation for its importance in delivering revolutionary pieces of furniture to the market. It is also clear that there is a real recognition for providing solutions that cater for peoples changing habits and work practices, with an increasing need for personal and social work areas.
More info on the project can be found at: http://www.jddfurniture.com/ or at 100% design
Or on Twtitter: @JDD_Tweets

3. Tabisso

-Inspired by typography, the company have designed a chair for each number and letter of the alphabet.

This immediately caught our eye when passing, being so unique as well as fun with a humorous charm. With companies always looking for new ways to personalise their business and individualise their brand, doing so online can often be more straight forward than in the real world. Typically the office is the hub where clients and new business stream in and out on a daily basis, and so it is a valuable space to communicate and sell the company brand and ensure each person leaves with a good impression. Tabisso goes some way to help improve this through its personalised typography seating, providing tailored business seating solutions.

Here’s a link to their website: http://www.tabisso.com/

Or on Twitter: @TabissoDesign

4. FreedMan chair

-Simon Freedman, the pioneer of a chair designed through experience within his osteopathy career.

A visually striking design for a chair with such a different take in styling when compared to alternatives on the market. With its sci-fi like presence, there was much interest in it around the stand. After finding out a bit more of its conception, it become clear that this was somewhat a labour of love through a commitment to provide an alternative method of seating. Simon Freedman, the inventor and innovator of the chair holds a background in osteopathy, leading him to discover a number of problems that can emerge through poor sitting postures. His aim to provide a seat that allows the spine and pelvis to achieve the same posture in sitting as when standing is being realised through the development of the freedman chair.

For more information, visit: http://www.freedmanchair.com/

Or on Twitter: @FreedManChair

5. Froc

-An adjustable high chair designed for both toddlers and kids, with an ability to be modified to suit the growth of child.

Often than not products are designed to cater for a specific age bracket, particularly within the young who develop quickly, frequently requiring something new to cater for their development. Of course, this can be an expensive time, so anything that looks to extend its lifespan can have great success with parents. Froc fits within this bill really well. Although the price point at the moment may not be in line with the pockets of many families, its heart is in the right place. It has tackled the problem of high chairs and how they cater for children between 6 months and 10 years old, providing a seating solution through all the ages in-between.

You can find their website at: http://froc.si/index-en.html

Or on Twitter: @GigoDesign

6. Ecojun

-An iF product design award winner for 2013; Social conscious designed range of drinking vessels.

An inspirational social enterprise based in Seoul, South Korea that has designed a range of socially conscious drinking products, with a fully considered approach to sustainability and providing opportunities for others in the workplace with the entire packaging process carried out by those less-able. Whilst some of the products are still in development, their direction is clearly inspired to ‘do good’ and illustrate how a different approach can gain some ground and succeed as a profitable enterprise.
for further information on the social enterprise, follow this link: www.ecojun.com

7. Sensual cutlery

-cutlery with a different take on the eating experience, aimed at heightening the sensual experience.

Whilst walking around the exhibition, a video on show attracted much attention, showing a range of irregular spoons being used. Being left slightly bewildered by what was shown, we soon asked for some more information on the background to understand what it was all about. Designed by Jinhyun Jeon whose interests lie in joint perception where one sense carries the ability of other senses, she has collaborated with a number of Michelin starred restaurants and hotels across the Netherlands to immersify the culinary experience through stimulating eating. Her cutlery inspired by the phenomenon of synaesthesia have looked to relate to the user through all senses during their use, greatly expanding upon traditional forms of eating. Although it may not see the sight of many family dinner tables anytime soon, from a research perspective it does raise many intriguing thoughts upon how the eating experience could be more inviting in the future.

To discover more, go to: http://jjhyun.com/