100% Design, the UK’s largest trade fair for architects and designers, returns once more to London Olympia. The show, with over 26,000 international visitors spending exceeding £3.4 billion has a deserved reputation as the commercial heart of London Design Festival.

Over the past few years under show director William Knight, also responsible for Clerkenwell Design Week, the show has maintained a consistent focus on quality, driving 100% Design’s wider role of delivering international trade for London and the UK’s design sector. Along with a much appreciated move to the spectacular London Olympia, this has seen its unrivalled talks programme increase its reputation as the place to hear industry leaders and current trends as well as take part in the best professional development seminars.

This year is no exception, with an impressive talks line-up, which has been curated by the Design Museum as part of its ‘on loan’ campaign. The programme combines agenda setting panel discussions, daily trends reports from leading forecasters, and keynotes from the great and good of the design world with a fantastic preview of what visitors can expect when the Design Museum opens its doors to the public in November.

Reflecting this focus on the experience of the show – for visitors, for exhibitors – it’s only fitting that the theme for this year’s 100% Design is ‘Experience’. This will be explored across the show through specially commissioned installations, immersive experiences and sensory experiments. Visitors can physically engage with the latest product innovations, establish new business relationships and network with design professionals.

You can still register here. Tickets are free for trade.

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS

Recently selected alongside Stanton Williams to design the new Museum of London, Asif Khan’s works range from cultural buildings and masterplans to houses, temporary pavilions, exhibitions, installations and products. Notable projects include a finalist design for the Helsinki Guggenheim Museum, the MegaFaces Pavilion at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic Games awarded the Innovation Grand Prix at Cannes Lion 2014 and a Red Dot for design, Coca-Cola’s Beatbox pavilion at the London 2012 Olympic Games, Parhelia at Design Miami 2012 and his first project West Beach Cafe in Littlehampton in 2008. Following the opening of 100% Design he will open the talks programme in a discussion chaired by Sarah Mann, the British Council’s Director of Architecture Design Fashion.

The Central Bar at 100% Design has a legendary status in the design industry, a hub for networking and a symbolic destination at the heart of both the show itself and the wider design industry. This year the 100% Design team has brought together a stream of uprights with colour scales adding drama to the central space, defining the area and providing a moment of shelter. The dramatic overhead installation is intended to provide a focal point for the entire show, surrounded by specially devised fins that define the entire space.

Central Bar

The installation ‘Design Path’ has been commissioned by 100% Design in collaboration with Dutch wood flooring manufacturer Hakwood. Located at the show entrance, this 15 metre-long meandering trail, which draws inspiration from the variety of shades found within water in motion, provides a striking entrance to the show.

The Design Path

Upstairs, The Materials Cloud, designed by Studio Glowacka with specialist fabricators 2MZ, is a new focus for the Design & Build section of the show, located on the upper floor. Transforming from coffee spot to lively bar as the day progresses, its inspiration is taken from modular toys popular in the 1970s, which interlock to create shapes and structures.

The Materials Cloud

The Wood Awards: Excellence in British Architecture & Product Design will showcase the shortlisted projects and products of their Building, Furniture and Product competitions. This includes twenty architectural designs in wood by Foster + Partners amongst others. The interiors shortlist of 12 projects features two bespoke designs, six production and four student designs – all made of wood.

Wood Awards: Alconbury Weald Club by Allford Hall Monaghan Morris

Design icon Ron Arad is creating a lighting sculpture with OLED light panels by LG Display. Accompanying the Central Bar is the Arper Bloggers Lounge, which offers a tranquil place for 100% Design digital press to observe, gather and reflect at a slower pace than the show’s other areas.

The design community is naturally international and outward looking, so it is fair to say that the looming prospect of Brexit has worrying implications for everyone from students to CEOs. Ben Evans, Director of the London Design Festival, Louise Jury of the Creative Industries Federation, designer Paul Priestman, Chairman of PriestmanGoode and Marcus Fairs, founder and editor in chief of Dezeen join a Design and Brexit panel that asks what can we expect, how can the European design community protect its culture, and how can we provide leadership and hope?

Drawing by Ron Arad for his installation of OLED panels by LG Display