This year’s Clerkenwell Design Week has been a major success for Villeroy & Boch and Ideal Standard, with hundreds of architecture and design professionals visiting our London Design and Specification Centre (LDSC) across the three-day event this week.
In total, 1,522 people visited the LDSC or attended one of our events there, a 56% increase on last year. Numbers were up on each of the three days, and the closing event saw 435 people attending, compared to 250 last year.
The increased footfall and new contacts are expected to lead to significant commercial opportunities, with a request for a specification for a 277-apartment scheme arriving this morning as a direct result of a conversation this week.
Our newly updated showroom space drew praise from guests, who explored the latest collections from both brands, including Ideal Standard’s Solos and La Dolce Vita, and Skyla and Antao from Villeroy & Boch.
Our calendar of events proved just as popular. Wednesday’s VIP reception provided an opportunity for senior figures from the design world to celebrate the coming together of the two brands, while Thursday evening’s cocktail party offered a lively atmosphere for networking and conversation.
Our collaboration with the hugely influential architecture and design magazine Dezeen helped broaden our reach further, with three panel talks at The Charterhouse covering wellness, expressive bathroom design and the role of water in built environments. These also included a conversation with Arthur Mamou-Mani, the winner of our Shaping Water joint competition with Dezeen.
UK Marketing Director Leanne Martin said: “This year’s Clerkenwell Design Week felt like a real turning point – the first time Ideal Standard and Villeroy & Boch have appeared together as one team in the LDSC.
“The response from visitors was overwhelmingly positive, and it was fantastic to see our space buzzing with activity, ideas and enthusiasm throughout the event. We’ve set a high bar for the future.”
She added: “This was the first time the new structures have worked together for an event in the UK – the London Specificaton team, combined with the marketing team from both the UK and our group AID colleagues, worked so hard and collaboratively to pull together a fantastic campaign both during and leading up to the event. It’s clear to see the results speak for themselves.
“I’d like to thank everyone involved, especially the teams that covered the event and Thursday night. It was a tremendous effort!”
The LDSC continues to establish itself as a must-see destination during the festival and a vital tool for reaching our architecture and design audience all year round.
Read more about the Shaping Water competition winner and view a photo special of CDW via the links below.