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A Festival Space with a Twist

In a city where exhibition venues are scarce, creativity often means thinking outside the box—or, in this case, outside the firehouse. For this year’s London Design Festival, curator Max Radford found an unconventional setting: a disused fire station. The raw space has been reimagined into *Grain Pile*, a group exhibition spotlighting six of London’s most exciting emerging designers.

Reimagining Materials with Ercol

The exhibition is a collaboration with British furniture maker Ercol, giving each designer access to the brand’s factories and materials. This partnership has produced striking new works that celebrate experimentation, sustainability, and craft.

Designer Andu Masebo created his Seconds Stools from Ercol’s discarded furniture components, painting each in bold colors to give new life to what might otherwise have gone unused. Lewis Kemmenoe showcased his playful marquetry on a rocking chair, while Eddie Olin, working with wood for the first time, designed a dining set combining black-stained timber with his signature metal detailing.

Designs Rooted in Storytelling

Isabel Alonso presented low tables constructed from three geometric forms—an arch, a cylinder, and a flat surface—turning simple structures into sculptural furniture. Joe Armitage, drawing inspiration from London’s modernist architecture, crafted an armchair influenced by Denys Lasdun’s Keeling House. Meanwhile, Jaclyn Pappalardo departed from seating and tables, creating a nostalgic cabinet inspired by her memories of Ercol furniture.

Supporting Emerging British Talent

For Radford, the exhibition represents more than just a show—it’s a year-long project that highlights how the UK design industry can support new voices. “As a gallery, we tend to focus on UK-based talent,” he explains. “To collaborate with one of the only large-scale UK-based producers feels like a perfect match.”

Ercol’s chairman, Henry Tadros, echoes the sentiment: “I wanted to give these designers the opportunity to use Ercol both as inspiration and as a tool to realize their designs. Seeing these ideas come to life is exciting for both sides.”

Together, the exhibition proves that with vision, even a forgotten fire station can be transformed into a beacon of creativity.