During this year’s London Design Festival, Stockholm-based design brand Hem will take over the Redchurch Room in Shoreditch to launch The Incredible House of Cards by Dutch designer Bertjan Pot; the brand’s second product from a new accessory collection curated by Modern Design Review.
Pot, who is known for his playful and whimsical designs, was tasked by Modern Design Review with the creation of a piece that epitomises the idea of a ‘decorative accessory’. Like all the items in this growing collection of works, the emphasis has been on the creation of an expressive object that is characteristic of the designer’s ethos and way of working. The Incredible House of Cards is a modular sculpture crafted from cardboard. It uses a simple assembly method that when realised creates an optical illusion through the perception of colour depending on the position of its viewer.
The house of cards structure is an iconic recreational object that has been created for centuries, even famously re-imagined by Ray and Charles Eames in an appreciation for the uncommon beauty of common things. In this incarnation, the latest addition to the Hem portfolio reflects Pot’s playful approach to design and brings to life a motif which he uses frequently throughout his work.
The Incredible House of Cards is the latest product from an ongoing collaboration between Hem and Modern Design Review. Laura Houseley, Editor-in-Chief of Modern Design Review, is charged with introducing Hem to a pool of creative independent design talents and commissioning unique works that are reflective of their designer’s oeuvre whilst also addressing the notions of decorative accessories. Milan Design Week saw the debut of the Superscene collection; an oversized landscape of ceramic rainbow, cloud and flowers by London-based artist John Booth and ceramicist Ian McIntyre who have joined forces under the name Supergroup. The limited edition collection will be available to purchase online through www.hem.com this summer and will also be on display during London Design Festival alongside the brand’s latest and upcoming furniture launches by designers Max Lamb and LucidiPevere.
An unmissable stop on Shoreditch’s Design Triangle from 17-22 September, Hem will not only take over the entire venue at 28 Redchurch Street but also paint its front facade to reflect the playful interior.