May Design Series announces this year's speakers
This year's May Design Series, which takes place at London's ExCeL, will host expert speakers including designer Johannes Torpe and architect Simon Jordan
A mass of industry experts will take over two stages at The ExCeL London at May Design Series: The Conversation Series theatre, dedicated to interior spaces, the Designers With Light forum, all about lighting. Approaching the industry from all angles - from business, retail and customer service, to the latest trends, designs and ecommerce- the speakers will share valuable insight with retailers, interior designers, architects and lighting specialist, all in attendance.
May Design Series will also welcome to The Conversation Series acclaimed Danish designer Johannes Torpe, Founder of Johannes Torpe Studios and creative director of Bang & Olufsen whose keynote speech will consider 'the entertainment' behind retail design and how revaluating the customer experience can create beautiful, immersive and magical spaces.
If you want advice on how to bring your brand to life, Tim Mutton, Founder and CEO of Blacksheep is your man. His award-winning design agency has 'the experience' at its core, showing how design can create the ultimate customer experience - from first impression through to repeat visit.
Also joining the series is Robert White, consultant on architecture business strategy to some of the biggest firms including, Zaha Hadid Architects, Rogers Stirk, Harbour + Partners, and OMA. Giving valuable insight into the process of winning and negotiating work, this is a key seminar to attend for business advice and development.
Interior Architect of the Year* Simon Jordan from Jump Studios will talk through the idiosyncrasies of how to bring a brand to life through interior design; how branding can permeate every aspect of interior space and how to distil the quantities of brand and make them come alive in your desired space.
New for this year, Lighting will play host to the Designers with Light Forum. Across the three-day show, visitors will be treated to free-to-attend expert seminar sessions from the very best of industry to better equip them with the innovation and tools behind lighting design across the retail and contract market. Highlights include Eoin Billings of Billings Jackson Design who will dissect the designer's role in redefining light. The fundamental shift from 'analogue to dialogue' represents a once in a lifetime opportunity for designers and architects to play a pivotal role in re-shaping the market - one not to miss.
Joost Hereman, Foster + Partners and Farhad Rahim, Chapman BDSP will join to discuss hospitality lighting and its blend with architecture. The ME Hotel in London designer by Foster + Partner is the first hotel for which architects have designed in its entirety for both the building shell and interior, resulting in an integrated approach to both the fixtures and furnishing making up the very fabric of the building.
John Bullock, jb-ld will tackle residential lighting design, where it has become obvious that there is an underlying matrix of rules and guidelines that inform every project. Here John will dissect his 'rules of three' for visitors to the sessions. Also joining the programme are Kevin Grant from Lighting Alliance and Sam Woodward, head of control systems at Havells Sylvania Europe (incorporatin Concord) who will both explain how to use light to attract and influence the movement of people, provide information and create visuallystimulating destinations and memorable places where people want to spend time and money.
May Design Series takes place at London's ExCeL between 18-20 May. The exhibition is free to attend - to claim your complimentary pass, visit www.maydesignseries.com.
