THE JOURNAL
CHAMPIONS OF DESIGN
Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour has played a pivotal role in the growth of the design industry, championing its community and bolstering the UK’s reputation as a creative powerhouse
and Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour is its undisputed hub. This year marks 20 years since its owners, Marcol, acquired the site and turned it into the world’s premier destination for design and decoration. Dedication, investment and creative vision have brought about its greatest transformation. It has certainly come a long way since architects
T
Moxley Jenner & Partners put the iconic glass domes of the Design Centre at the heart of a larger 16-acres development which includes a marina for 80 luxury yachts, a five-star hotel, private residences and
here are many reasons for anglophiles to appreciate London – world-class culinary and theatre scenes, music, fashion. The British capital is also a gold mine for design,
commercial offices. Originally known as Chelsea Garden Market, in the 1980s it was developed by P & O to offer retail units on the ground floor and light industrial units above. (Those with long memories will recall a shoe shop and a hairdresser in the domes.) Marcol
saw its potential, transforming it from a
soulless site to a thriving commercial and creative hub. It undertook the design and implementation of a multi-million-pound refurbishment, which included replacing all internal surfaces and flooring, fitting glass balustrades, adding trees and refurbishing and repositioning the spiral staircase. The result is a light, spacious and airy building that perfectly complements its tenants’ businesses and the best interiors brands imaginable. To meet growing demand, further
strategic expansion saw the creation of the Design Avenue, a stunning permanent atrium linking the domes with Design Centre East, and more showroom space was built in Design Centre East and Design Centre North. Today, the mix of luxury flagships, independent companies and some 600 international brands can be found, all at one address. Its reputation for creative excellence makes it a magnet for professional designers, architects and specifiers, as well as design enthusiasts seeking ideas for their own homes. “Design has a great community, and this is its HQ,” comments interior designer Rita Konig. On every floor there are not only fabrics and
wallcoverings, but a vast array of furniture, lighting, accessories, kitchens, bathrooms, outdoor living,
ABOVE: Spun vessels by Studio Hancock take centre stage at Formed with Future Heritage, a new event on the Design Centre’s calendar. The show saw new talent and limited-edition pieces come together in the Design Avenue, and gave greater focus to the already well-established Future Heritage, the showcase of emerging makers curated by journalist and curator Corinne Julius
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