We’ve teamed up with Vespertine Press to give away five copies of ‘The Independent Coffee Book London‘. This new title celebrates the very best independent cafés, espresso bars and roasters in London and is the only guide to the capital’s burgeoning speciality coffee scene. Enter now – competition closes on 25th January 2012.

The book includes reviews and listings of the very best cafés in London, accompanied by maps to help you discover new and exciting coffee shops around the city.

Also included is a history of London coffee houses, a guide to brewing, a detailed glossary of terms and articles compiled and written by a host of influential names from the London coffee scene.

THIS COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED. Congratulations to our five winners: Graham Gear, Liam Carden, Harriet Steynor, Jay Freestone and Charles Westerby.

Stay informed of future competitions by signing up to our monthly newsletter.

We’ve teamed up with the producers of Sugru to give away five packs of their magical air-curing rubber that can be bonded onto any object to repair or transform the shape, functionality and ergonomics – useful for improving those not-quite-right Christmas gifts! Enter now – competition closes on Monday 23rd January 2012.

Sugru is an exciting air-curing rubber that can be formed by hand. It bonds to most materials and turns into a strong, flexible silicone rubber overnight. It feels like modelling clay, and it’s that easy to use too. Once cured, its durable properties mean it’s comfortable in extreme environments from the dishwasher to the ocean to Antarctica.

Sugru can be formed and shaped by hand for up to 30 minutes once it has been removed from its packaging. Once it’s exposed to air, it cures to a tough flexible silicone overnight using the moisture in the air with a cure time of 24hrs.

Developed by a team of product designers and materials scientists, sugru’s patented technology is unique in its combination of hand-formability, self-adhesion and flexibility when cured. Sugru’s strap line is ‘Hack Things Better’ – to us, this has revolutionary potential.

THIS COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED. Congratulations to our five winners: Pete Aighton, Frederic Cuignet, Lynsey Kirkwood, Dawn Costen and Jean Day.

Stay informed of future competitions by signing up to our monthly newsletter.

All images courtesy of Sugru.

We’ve teamed up with design retailer Skandium to give away five copies of their recently published book ‘On Yellow’ about the work of Swedish design studio Claesson Koivisto Rune. Enter now – competition closes on 14th December 2011.

Claesson Koivisto Rune is the most recognised design studio in Sweden, creating everything from glassware, lighting and furniture to houses and hotel conversions.

In September 2011, Skandium hosted an exhibition of their furniture, products and architectural models at their Brompton Road store and produced this book to accompany the show.

The book charts their work over the years. Instead of publishing images of each project, they have included light-hearted sketches that demonstrate the seed of each idea and the playful attitude behind a serious design studio.

The introduction to the book was written by LDG editor Max Fraser.

The book is designed by Gabor Palotai Design, Stockholm.

THIS COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED. Congratulations to our five winners: Salli Graham Lawrence, Christina Bell, Nicola Henshall, Gill Thomas and Catherine Owen.

Stay informed of future competitions by signing up to our monthly newsletter.

We’ve teamed up with British furniture and accessories producer Another Country to offer you the chance to win a full set of their new desk objects, worth £84! Enter now – competition closes on 14th December 2011.

This family of desk objects is made up of individual, but compatible, objects that each fulfil a specific task: A tall Pencil Pot to hold all writing ephemera, a Sharpener Pot (with motif handle) that neatly collects your shavings, a Tape Dispenser with utilitarian brass serrated arm and, lastly, a small container Eraser Pot for all your loose bits, with a particularly handy lid in the form of a large eraser. Like all Another Country objects, the Desktop series is especially functional whilst also possessing a timeless charm.

Materials: Sycamore, brass, rubber. Crafted in Wales. Designer: Simon Donald

THIS COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED. Congratulations to our winner, Pierre Bonnet.

Stay informed of future competitions by signing up to our monthly newsletter.

We’re giving away a ND105 stool worth £475, in partnership with the UK importer and retailer Sigmar. Designed in 1962 by Danish cabinetmaker Nanna Ditzel, the collectible design continues to be handmade today by a small rural workshop in Denmark. Enter our competition to win! Entry deadline: Monday 3rd October 2011.

The stool, also known as the ‘Toadstool’, was originally designed by the legendary Nanna Ditzel for her children and has only ever been produced by small cabinetmaking companies. It was the only other piece of furniture in the home of Danish architect and designer Finn Juhl that he didn’t design himself and the one piece that Ditzel asked to have by her side on her deathbed in 2005.

Measuring 400mm wide x 440mm high, the stools (which also double as side tables) are made of solid oak and oiled for a natural finish which will only become richer with time. Nanna Ditzel developed the shape over a period of 20 years and it now consists of 10 different stools and tables ranging from £340-£995 depending on size.

THIS COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED. Congratulations to our winner, Harry Ledwith!

We’re giving away 5 signed copies of ‘London Buildings: An Architectural Tour’ by Robin Farquhar and Hannah Dipper (published by Batsford). Enter our competition to win a copy! (This competition is now closed).

Created by the founders of People Will Always Need Plates, this new title offers outstanding graphic illustrations of London’s architectural icons appearing for the first time in book form.

Farquhar and Dipper began their business with a focus on the buildings that they love, namely Modernist examples from the 1930s as well as now-iconic concrete structures of the 1950s, -60s and -70s.Their unique and colourful illustrations have been used before by the company on a successful range of plates, mugs and other objects.

Covering a range of architectural styles, well-known buildings such as the Barbican, Battersea Power Station and Sir Christopher Wren’s 1675 Greenwich Royal Observatory feature in the book, as well as the 1920s modernist masterpiece – the Isokon Building – and Brutalist icons, the controversial Trellick Tower and the Royal National Theatre.

The pair are just as eager to celebrate the unsung architectural heroes as much as the well-loved, famous ones so have also included new images of 30 St Mary Axe, Butler’s Wharf and the Commonwealth institute. Each image is accompanied by text summing up why the authors love the building they depict. The foreword is written by LDG editor, Max Fraser.

COMPETITION: This competition is now closed. Thank you to all of those who entered.

Congratulations to our five winners: Carla Seppe, Jennifer Taylor, Sarah Anguish, Belinda Hendry, Carolina Johnson.

We’ve teamed up with our friends at STARLITE – London’s first urban drive-in – to give you the opportunity to win a pair of tickets to watch the old movie classic ‘Grease’ on Saturday evening 3rd July in Brick Lane’s Truman Brewery. As a winner, you will be given your very own Volvo in which to watch the movie. This is a 24 hour competition – enter by midday on Friday 2nd July!

TO ENTER THIS COMPETITION:

Firstly, make sure that you are available to attend the event in London on Saturday evening 3rd July 2010.

Secondly, simply send an email with ‘Starlite’ in the subject line, plus your mobile phone number to: competitions@londondesignguide.com

At midday on Friday 2nd July, we will randomly chose a winner from the entries. If your name is picked, we will call you immediately to confirm and will send the ticket collection details via email. You will be entitled to two tickets and your very own Volvo for the night!

Thirdly, turn up and enjoy the evening!

ENTER NOW!! GOOD LUCK!!

THIS COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED. Thank you to all who entered. The winner is Rhys Denbigh.

Here’s some official blurb from the organisers:

Retro goes metro this summer as the classic drive-in is re-vamped with the launch of the Volvo Starlite Urban Drive-In. Redefining the cinematic experience, Starlite allows you to escape stuffy cinemas and enjoy the thrill of watching movies on a full-size screen, outdoors. And we provide ALL the cars!

The first of its kind, Starlite premieres with a VIP screening on July 1st and two fabulous public screenings on the 2nd and 3rd, all in the heart of London at the pioneering and ultra-cool Old Truman Brewery.

Starlite is partnering with Volvo, who are supplying a fleet of cars including the XC60 crossover, new C30 Sports Coupé and C70 coupé / convertible, to bring you the best possible viewing experience. Listen to the soundtrack through the cars’ surround-sound radio system, order pop-corn or cocktails (you won’t have to drive home) from our rollerskating waitresses, even cuddle up on the back seat…

You don’t need a driving license or a car, just turn up, get comfortable in a shiny new Volvo and enjoy the night’s entertainment.

Starlite is the idea of writer, cultural entrepreneur and Shoreditch House Salonierre Damian Barr. “We all grew up with the drive-in dream,” says Damian. “But it never happened in Britain because we don’t have the space, the weather, or that car culture. I wanted to update the idea and make it work for an urban, eco-conscious audience and this seemed the perfect way to do it.”

For many years, LDG editor Max Fraser has been fascinated by the design of pasta shapes. It would seem he is not alone, as this new book – THE GEOMETRY OF PASTA – is dedicated to the subject, complete with over 100 recipes. Enter our competition to win a signed copy (entry deadline: 14th May 2010).

Pasta is architecture designed for the taste buds. There are said to be over 300 shapes of pasta, each of which has a history, a story to tell, and an affinity with particular foods. Over hundreds of years, these shapes have evolved alongside the flavours of local ingredients in Italy, and the perfect combination can turn an ordinary dish into something really special.

THE GEOMETRY OF PASTA, published by Boxtree, pairs over 100 authentic recipes from leading chef, Jacob Kenedy (co-founder of Soho restaurant Bocca di Lupo), with graphic designer Caz Hildebrand‘s striking black-and-white designs to reveal the science, history and philosophy behind spectacular pasta dishes from all over Italy.

COMPETITION: To win one of 5 signed copies of THE GEOMETRY OF PASTA, simply email your name and delivery address to competitions@londondesignguide.com with ‘Pasta’ in the subject line.

Competition closes at midday on 14th May 2010. Five winners will be chosen at random and notified by email on 14th May. The competition is open to readers from any country and books will be dispatched to the delivery address you supply.

THIS COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED. Congratulations to our five randomly-selected winners: Dorian Koelmans (London); Nick Bond (London); Sara Veloso Custódia da Silva Lança (Portugal); Katie Treggiden (London); Angie Palmer (Hove).

For those who didn’t win, enjoy this free animated recipe!

Stay informed of future competitions by signing up to our monthly newsletter.

EXCLUSIVE LDG COMPETITION – PART 4: win a pair of tickets to the fourth and final ‘Design by Decade‘ talk at the Barbican, taking place in conjunction with the current ‘Ron Arad: Restless‘ exhibition. Answer a simple question to win!

The ‘Design by Decade’ talks take place across four evenings – each dedicated to one of the decades Ron Arad has lived and worked in London. A panel discussion will celebrate the evolution of the architecture, art and design communities in London from the 1970s to the present day.

FOURTH TALK IN THE ‘DESIGN BY DECADE’ SERIES:

2000s: Design vs Art

THURSDAY 29th APRIL 2010, 7pm

Join Simon de Pury, Chairman, Phillips de Pury & Company, designer Martino Gamper, dealer Oscar Humphries of Timothy Taylor Gallery, artist Pae White and chair Tim Marlow, writer, broadcaster and Director of Exhibitions at White Cube, to explore the implications of the intertwined markets for art and design. How and why has the distinction between these disciplines eroded in recent years? Has ‘good design for all’ become exclusive design for the few?

WIN A PAIR OF TICKETS TO THIS EVENT (worth £15 each). Answer this simple question:

In 2009, Ron Arad announced that he would be leaving his post-graduate teaching post at which institution?

A. Design Academy, Eindhoven

B. Royal College of Art, London

C. Architectural Association, London

To enter this competition, email your answer (A, B, or C) to: info@londondesignguide.com with ‘Design by Decade part 4′ in the subject line. (Your details will not be passed on to any third parties).

Competition closes at midday on Thursday 22nd April. The winner will be chosen at random and will be notified by email on 22nd April. The winner will receive 2 tickets to the talk, which also grant access to the exhibition.

Please do not enter this competition unless you are available to attend this event.

THIS COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED. Congratulations to the winner: Vladimir Valente

Stay informed of future competitions by signing up to our mailing list.

EXCLUSIVE LDG COMPETITION – PART 3: win a pair of tickets to the third ‘Design by Decade‘ talk at the Barbican, taking place in conjunction with the current Ron Arad exhibition. Answer a simple question to win!

The ‘Design by Decade’ talks take place across four evenings – each dedicated to one of the decades Ron Arad has lived and worked in London. A panel discussion will celebrate the evolution of the architecture, art and design communities in London from the 1970s to the present day.

THIRD TALK IN THE ‘DESIGN BY DECADES’ SERIES:

1990s: Design Goes Glossy, Design Goes Global

THURSDAY 8TH APRIL 2010, 7pm

A time of aspirational design, consumer spending power and glossy magazines. What drove this boom in design? With speakers including inspirational manufacturer Patrizia Moroso, artist Grayson Perry, gallerist Libby Sellers and Tony Chambers, editor-in-chief of Wallpaper* magazine.

WIN A PAIR OF TICKETS TO THIS EVENT (worth £15 each). Answer this simple question:

Who is the manufacturer of Ron Arad’s famous ‘Bookworm’ bookshelf?

A. Kartell

B. Vitra

C. Moroso

To enter this competition, email your answer (A, B, or C) to: info@londondesignguide.com with ‘Design by Decade part 3′ in the subject line. (Your details will not be passed on to any third parties).

Competition closes at midday on Thursday 1st April. The winner will be chosen at random and will be notified by email on 1st April. The winner will receive 2 tickets to the talk, which also grant access to the exhibition.

Please do not enter this competition unless you are available to attend this event.

THIS COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED. Congratulations to the winner: Georgina Potier.

Stay informed of future competitions by signing up to our mailing list.