We've always been inspired by meticulous Japanese craftsmanship and design, and would encourage anyone who might feel the same way to hop on their bike while the sun is (hopefully) still shining and head down to Tokyo Bike's super cool pop-up shop in London's Rivington Street. An expert bike mechanic on loan from Tokyo for the past few weeks has set up camp in the shop to run a series of bike maintenance workshop sessions on Tues-Thurs from 6.30-7.30pm, advising urban cyclists how best to look after and repair their treasured bikes. The Tokyo Bike temporary space, designed by London's Emulsion Architecture, echoes the brand's understated, utilitarian ethos and will be open until 31 July. The perfect way to wheel away an hour or two this week.

http://www.tokyobike.co.uk/

Watch this space: Tokyo Bike is planning to build a permanent home in our city next year, but until then it's a very good idea to join one of their designer-led cycle tours during the London Design Festival in September, which will start and finish at Designjunction in Holborn.

http://www.thedesignjunction.co.uk/
The pop-up is located at 54 Rivington Street, London EC2A 3QN.
Opening hours are:
Monday: Closed
Tuesday - Saturday: 11.30 - 19.30
Sunday: 13.00- 18.00
Closing Date: 31st July 2011

Text: Jacki Lang - 

Images courtesy of Tokyo Bike

Modern and contemporary designers have been given a rather handy boost thanks to the newly created Outset Design Fund.

Eight designers work has been chosen by the fund to be exhibited in the V&A during London Design Festival. Led by Christopher Wilk of the V&A and created in March this year, Outset aims to help the museum acquire the best of contemporary design and future classics. This first collection of designers works includes creations by Fredrikson Stallard, Nendo, BCXSY, Platform and Satyendra Pakhalé.

From left to right

Sofa 'Pyrenees' designed by Fredrikson Stallard is one large block of foam hand carved into a landscape creating three areas for seating.

The Cord chair was designed by nendo (Oki Sato)has spindly legs only 12 mm in diameter. This delicate chair undoubtedly one of the slimmest chairs in history but is totally functional. The secret is a slim metal frame inside hollow wooden tubes.

Table #1 designed by Fredrikson Stallard was created with the desire to use seemingly archaic methods of construction. Raw silver birch logs are lashed together with thin steel strap normally used for binding shipping pallets.

These screens designed by BCXSY (Boaz Cohen and Sayaka Yamamoto) were made by traditional craftsman Mr. Tanaka, Tokyo using disappearing crafts technique, Tatego (Japanese wood joinery).

Satyendra Pakhalé's Horse stool is part of a range of furniture made by the bell metal lost-wax process. Winding metal tread is used by rural craftspeople of central India who use the technique to make small utensils and animal sculptures.

The Cabbage Chair was designed by nendo in response to a proposal by Issey Miyake that nendo create an environmentally sustainable object suitable for life in the future. The only materials used are the paper rolls used in the making of Miyake's famous Pleats Please lines.

The Thin Black Line Series was designed by nendo. It's triumph is the clever way the disappearing lines play with two and three dimensions.

Fractal Table II designed by Platform (Ger not Oberfell, Jan Wertel and and Matthias Bär) was designed on a computer and built up layer by layer using complicated digital technology.

We are making a design pilgrimage to Central America this summer, but we're going via London's Lamb's Conduit Street. Darkroom, the concept store started by the gorgeous designers Rhonda Drakeford and Lulu Roper-Caldbeck, today launches its Spring Summer season, and it's all about the Inca Trail.

The Aztec picture that is developing in Darkroom is of a collection that explores the pattern, colours, processes and textures of the ancient civilizations. Peruvian weaving and ancient decorative pattern feature in beautifully woven blankets and cushions by Scholten and Baijings, there are bold geometric printed cushions and rugs by Darkroom and Marcus James as well as abstracted ceramics by Atelier Polyhedre.

The duo has also been on a mission to collect jewels that "appear to be made from old Mayan gold, copper and bronze", finding semi-precious stones hewn into geometric forms to embellish bangles, earrings and neck-pieces. There are also exclusive collections from Elke Kramer, Eleanor Bolton, Simone Brewster, and CCCHC available, and alongside beautiful leather bags by Alison Dunlop and Lizzy Disney, Drakeford and Roper-Caldbeck are also launching their own range of designed bags and leather accessories for the first time.