The GREEN GRADS Hub At Heal’s Building Addresses A Wide Range Of Eco-Issues During The London Design Festival 2023
Image By Courtesy of GREEN GRADS
Over 50 GREEN GRADS - the cohort of 2023 – will take over a huge floor of the newly refurbished Heal’s Building over the first weekend of the 2023 London Design Festival in September.
GREEN GRADS, now in its third year, is a “platform” for new graduates whose final projects have in some way addressed one or more of a wide range of eco-issues.
Heal’s, now in a glamorous new space on the ground and lower ground floors, has enthusiastically backed GREEN GRADS since its inception three years ago, and entry to GREEN GRADS (free) is through the store.
Without their generous support of Heal’s and their landlords General Projects (BCorp) and investors KKR, this third edition of GREEN GRADS during the London Design Festival would not be possible, says GREEN GRADS founder/curator Barbara Chandler..
"We are being lent undoubtedly one of the most beautiful exhibition venues in London. And it’s so appropriate for GREEN GRADS, presenting as we do advanced eco-ideas for design , craft and engineering.”
Because for over 200 years the Heal’s building has been the home of British design.
This historic Central London site is where Ambrose Heal founded his famous design atelier – fusing advanced design, innovation, manufacturing and production – eventually becoming a collection of nine unique buildings where furniture was made and dispatched to the world.
Fast forward to the 21st century, and General Projects have reimagined and reinvented this incredible Grade II* Listed landmark from furniture maker to manufacturer of ideas - so it’s now called The Manufactory and is possibly the West End’s most iconic place to work.
Says Jacob Loftus CEO of General Projects: “Through the reinstatement and restoration of never seen before heritage, our approach is to fuse history with avantgarde design. In doing so, restitching exceptional one-of-a-kind buildings into London’s creative fabric.”
Added Hamish Mansbridge, CEO at Heal’s: “We are delighted to be hosting The GREEN GRADS Hub this year. It is a fantastic initiative, not only in the way it creates a unique opportunity for recent graduates to showcase their talents and ideas, but also in raising awareness of the important issues we, as industry leaders, need to address. ”
GREEN GRADS is free to enter and graduate exhibitors (now qualified designers, artists and or engineers) do not pay to take part.
For 2023, find a chair with a seat and back of seaweed, a paint that guzzles carbon, fabrics printed with bacteria, and a spread of new bio-materials, as a way forward from plastic.
Creative ways of using waste include furniture and utensils from discarded denim, and fabulous chandeliers pieced together from London’s junked bottles.
This is GREEN GRAD’S third major show during the LDF.
Previous shows have attracted over 2,000 visitors over single weekends.
Saturday 16 September 10.30 - 6pm
Sunday 17 September 12 noon - 6pm
Monday 18 September 10.30am - 6pm
Visitors can also enjoy a packed programme of seminars, and hands-on workshops
