Jars of hair clippings, screws and leaves
Jars of hair clippings, screws and leaves helped explain the narrative behind DLA Design’s Clerkenwell Collection, a group of patterns inspired by the practice’s location in the central London district.
DLA extensively researched its locality to analyse the materials, textures and colours that create the many different types of buildings and places in the area, from cobbled alleyways to historic warehouses, public houses to churches. Each of its three final patterns seeks to evoke the spirit of a different building type. DLA’s favourite pattern was Workshop, a linear design intended to convey the metal, brick and timber materiality of such buildings, which are now so popular with the creative industries. Created using the Arrow laying pattern, dark timber and metallic patterns that evoke a rich patina are contrasted with a highlight white washed timber.
Another linear pattern, this time a strident five-colour design formed with the Pleat laying pattern, was inspired by barbershops and uses a red accent to reference the traditional striped red and white pole.
DLA envisages this bolder pattern being used for events spaces.
The St James churchyard in Clerkenwell provided the inspiration for the firm’s third finalist pattern – a softer, parquet design of three heavily grained timber-style tiles. According to architect Alex Giles, the designers sought to evoke the tranquillity provided by the churchyard amid the hustle and bustle of Clerkenwell by focusing on the warmth of the timber, trees and brick. This pattern is conceived for installations such as residential lofts.
Three further designs that weren’t shortlisted were inspired by the bustling Exmouth Market and Farringdon station areas and by DLA’s local pub.