Traces: London's new design mystery

Tuesday 31 July 2012

Traces London. Photo by Giovanna del Sarto


From 17-19 August 2012, this disused building in Shoreditch, east London, will be revived for Traces: a showcase for more than 60 designers and artists, each one inspired by the 19th century history of the space they are exhibiting in.

Traces London. Photo by Giovanna del Sarto


The show's marketing campaign has included releasing 'clues' as to the whereabouts of the building, the era its history took places in, and the characters whose stories will be explored during the show.

By following Traces on Twitter and subscribing via email, would-be visitors have become involved with the event before it even starts (view the clues so far here).

Traces London. Photo by Giovanna del Sarto


The show has been organised by Donna Walker and Talulah Mason in collaboration with Designersblock, and is part of the Shoreditch Fringe Festival 2012.

Traces London. Photo by Giovanna del Sarto


This new approach to a design event has been partly inspired by the immersive theatre of companies such as Punchdrunk, partly by "the best of experiential living history museums such as Dennis Sever’s House," Walker and Mason explain; combined with "a cutting edge showcase for over 60 artists, furniture and product designers and makers, theatre set designers, sound artists, food designers, smell designers, lighting designers, architects, illustrators, ceramicists, jewellery makers, textile designers... Together, they will produce pieces inspired by the narrative of the place; a physical memoir."

Traces London. Photo by Giovanna del Sarto


The event is the latest in a line of shows which have emphasised design as storytelling (WGSN-homebuildlife subscribers can read about the trend in our London Design Festival 2012 report here); but Traces looks set to develop the theme even further.

Traces London. Photo by Giovanna del Sarto


Traces London. Photo by Giovanna del Sarto
Traces London. Photo by Giovanna del Sarto
Traces London. Photo by Giovanna del Sarto