Overview over London, GB in the evening

Excitement builds as Design London approaches

With Design London set to kick off on September 22nd, we catch up with Marlon Cera-Marle, Director of the Design Division at Media 10.

Catching Up with the Director

After 25 years under the name “100% Design”, the large trade exhibition of the London Design Festival has morphed into “Design London” and is ready to take center stage in the British capital during September 22nd-25th.

Marlon Cera-Marle, Director of the Design Division at Media 10, the holding company tasked with arranging the exhibition, shares some of his thoughts with us leading up to the festivities.

What are your responsibilities regarding Design London and what would you say is most important in your line of work?

“I’m responsible for the curation of the exhibits as well as the feel and look of the show overall, as well as for the publications related to it,” Marlon replies.

“As for what is most important, probably relationships. Also, keeping your ear to the ground to follow what is going on, as design is a bit like fashion. Things can change dramatically overnight, so trend forecasting is important.”

View over a city with skyscrapes in the evening from inside a building

What is the theme for this year’s exhibition?

“I’m not really one to put a theme on an event as they can sometimes limit what brands bring. We would prefer having the design take the forefront with people bringing their own ideas. Unofficially, however, there is a big focus on regeneration, sustainability, and circularity. And obviously the elephant in the room which is post-Covid adaptation.”

“But really, we like to allow the narrative come straight from the designer.”

How do you see Aritco fitting in at Design London?

“I’ve worked with Aritco a number of years, and it is a very interesting company. In contemporary design, what you normally want to do is remove yourself and think of what the audience, in this case architects and interior designers, wants to see. Aritco have consistently shown that they understand the needs of architects and designers since they can showcase how their product can work with any canvas that is put in front, but then allow for the practicality of what the product actually is, a lift.”

“Aritco stands out from the crowd and shows really well how technology and aesthetics can combine. They fit in seamlessly at Design London.”

An Aritco HomeLift in a luxery home

What are your expectations for the event this year?

“A feeling of celebration, of course, as this is the first large scale contemporary art fair after Covid that’s occurring in the form it is meant to occur. That is, a live exhibition with no major restrictions like staggered visiting times and so on.”

“There’s a great need at the moment for actual personal interaction, as well as enjoying design as it should be enjoyed, allowing for in-person feel, look, touch, and not through a screen. I’m excited about it all coming together!”

When you think of great design, which three elements would you consider essential?

“I wouldn’t even say there’s three, I’d say there’s one. To make someone stop, to captivate the audience with pure aesthetic. After that, there’s elements two and three which are practicality and narrative. If it is viable and how many times it can be used, as we live in a society where we don’t want to throw things away anymore.”

“But for me, the key is simply the aesthetic. What makes you stop and think ‘I want that in my home’ or ‘I want that in the project I’m curating’. That’s what it is all about.”

Thank you, Marlon, we look forward to the festivities kicking off!

View over a stair in nude light colour with a design lamp infront. Pic by Haberdashery.

CN

ARITCO CHINA, SHANGHAI

Aritco Homelift (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.

B310-2, Wending Living Style Plaza,
No. 258 Wending Road
Xuhui District, Shanghai P.R.
China

Phone:+86 400 6233 121
Email: info.china@aritco.com

CN

ARITCO CHINA, QINGDAO

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No.88 Chunyang Rd. Qingdao
China

Phone: +86 532 66736895
Email: info.china@aritco.com

DE

ARITCO GERMANY

Aritco Deutschland GmbH
Widenmayerstrasse 31
DE – 80538 München
Germany

Phone: +49 7123 9597272
Email: info.germany@aritco.com

PT

ARITCO PORTUGAL

Beloura Office Park Rd 7 1
Andar Quinta Da Beloura
2710-444, Sintra
Portugal

Phone: (+351) 215 960 505
Email: geral@aritco.pt

ES

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Avenida de la Constitución 24, nave 10
288 21, Coslada
Madrid
Spain

Phone: (+34) 918 622 552
Email: info.spain@aritco.com

SE

ARITCO SWEDEN

Aritco Lift AB
Elektronikhöjden 14
175 43 Järfälla
Sweden

Phone: +46 8 120 401 00
Email: info@aritco.com

SEA

ARITCO SOUTHEAST ASIA

35/5-7 Comet office building,
Krung Thonburi road, Khlong Ton Sai
Khlong San, Bangkok 10600
Thailand

Phone: +662 116 9944
Email: info.sea@aritco.com

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Aritco United Arab Emirates

ARITCO LIFT AB C/O BUSINESS SWEDEN,
CONCORD TOWER, 26TH FLOOR,
OFFICE 2607, MEDIA CITY
DUBAI, UAE

PHONE: (+971) 58 285 0719
EMAIL: INFO.UAE@ARITCO.COM

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Phone: +44 1604 808809
E-mail: info.uk@aritco.com