Parq life by Lee Bloom

British Business Embassy – Showcasing the best of UK creativity

The UK’s top designers and artists have contributed to delivering a world class creative showcase that played host to some of the most globally influential business leaders during the Olympics and Paralympics Games at the British Business Embassy.

The 19th century Lancaster House was transformed to showcase modern art and design from both new and established designers, photographers, furniture makers, and sculptors, as well as displaying the very best in sound art and visual installations.

A total of 18 rooms at the British Business Embassy have been curated to highlight the talents of British or British trained designers and manufacturers. Direction was overseen by a creative panel, chaired by design leader and UKTI Business Ambassador Sir John Sorrell alongside Diana Yakeley, President of the British Institute of Interior Design (BIID).

Sir John Sorrell of design agency Newell and Sorrell said: “The Games will ensure the eyes of the world are on London – the world’s creative hub. The British Business Embassy will provide an elegant and exciting environment in which international leaders will come to do business, whilst at the same time showcasing the breadth of our creative industries.”

The British Business Embassy also benefitted from an art re-hang overseen by Penny Johnson from the Government Art Collection and Iwona Blaswick from the Whitechapel Gallery, whilst the Crafts Council curated a selection of contemporary work from across the UK.

Lee Bloom – Blue Lamp

Among the designers, artists and manufacturers loaning items and contributing to the Embassy is Lee Broom, judged Designer of the Year at the British Design Awards 2011.The Lee Broom Gold Room featured pieces from the designer’s most iconic collections. The room reflected the designer’s commitment to the country’s heritage as his work exemplifies the best of Britain. All of the products in the room have been designed in Lee’s East-End studio and manufactured in the UK.

Jason Bruges Studio provided the installation ‘Mirror Mirror’. Heatherwick Studio presented the world's first ever extruded piece of furniture, created in association with contemporary art gallery, Haunch of Venison. Italian design company, Moroso contributed furniture collections Supernatural designed by Ross Lovegrove and Victoria and Albert designed by Ron Arad. Allermuir contributed the Pearson Lloyd inspired Conic range.

Others designers and contributors included Paul Smith for Conran and the Rug Company, Barber Osgerby and Jasper Morrison for Vitra, Terence Conran for Conran, Dean Sutcliffe for Benchmark and Foster & Partners for Lumina.

Waugh Thistleon - timber Pavillion

Also architects Waugh Thistleton were commissioned to design and oversee the construction of a temporary Pavilion in the grounds of Lancaster House. The timber Pavilion acted as the key function space for the Embassy for the entire programme and was be a central point for delegates

Modern, visionary menus and food presentation, using locally sourced and sustainable produce was on offer for delegates and speakers throughout the Embassy's programme.

Contributors

Jason Bruges Studio provided the installation ‘Mirror Mirror’. The studio, based in London, produces innovative installations, interventions and ground-breaking works. The studio is particularly well known for light based design, exploring interactivity with the public and the environment, through the highly imaginative use of materials and technologies.

Heatherwick Studio presented the world's first ever extruded piece of furniture, created in association with contemporary art gallery, Haunch of Venison. The pieces combine sleek, graceful lines with random, gnarled endings and unique swirling forms created through the termination of the extrusion process in the making of the benches.

The Heatherwick Studio is known for its adventurous and original use of manufacturing processes and materials across the disciplines of architecture, art and design.

Italian design company, Moroso contributeed furniture collections Supernatural and Victoria and Albert . Since 1952, MOROSO has been creating furniture with well known designers, among those British based include; Ron Arad, Ross Lovegrove, Tord Boontje & Doshi Levien.

The Victoria and Albert collection, by Ron Arad, boasts elegant forms uniting design and function for the benefit of everyday use.

Supernatural, by Ross Lovegrove, is a new naturalism based on studies of new materials, applications and production methods.

Allermuir contributed the Pearson Lloyd inspired Conic range. The furniture collection’s versatility make it ideal for a number of applications throughout the building. Conic is a classic representation of the diverse range of design from the Allermuir Brand synonmous with high quality contemporary design all manufactured in the UK.

Waugh Thistleton’s timber Pavilion acted as a key function space for the Embassy constructed off site by a team of specialist joiners, Insulshell - formerly Wood Newton. The design proposal is a simple composition of an elongated timber floor plate with a low profile timber roof, supported by a number of slender columns to the perimeter of the floor.