The Aram Gallery is showcasing an exhibition titled 6 Hands, bringing together a series of projects by India Carpenter, Peter Marigold and Ella Robinson all of which are indicative of their current working style and which favour hand over machine.

6 HANDS, 14th January – 19th February 2011

THE ARAM GALLERY

110 Drury Lane, London WC2B 5SG

Whether exploring alternative ways of making, interpreting traditional methods or developing material technique, all three designers share a commitment to experiment, challenge and innovate production methods in design.

6 Hands shows some recent projects, as well as works in progress.

Images, top to bottom: Experiments by Ella Robinson; Black Twin by India Carpenter; Dug and Stuff by Peter Marigold. Images courtesy of The Aram Gallery.

The Victoria and Albert Museum is launching the first V&A Summer Camp – a free, two day celebration of design. The event incorporates both late night and family activities with the aim of sharing design knowledge and skills.

V&A SUMMER CAMP 2010

Friday 30th July: 18.30-22.00

Saturday 31st July: 13.00-17.00

Victoria and Albert Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 2RL (020 7942 2000)

A derivative of the ‘V&A Village Fete’ of previous years, the Summer Camp involves a range of daytime activities in combination with the nocturnal revelry of ‘Friday Late’. The museum is hosting all-day workshops, talks, performances and participatory events presented by a range of designers, artists and makers.

Such designers include Peter Marigold and Markus Bergstrom, who are on hand to offer advice on how to devise and create furniture.

Toy designer Tony Hayward is showing visitors how to design their own take-away toy.

The ‘Typography Summer School’ is holding a discursive critique where any item featuring print can be brought along for exploration. Other ‘tents’ pitched around the museum aim to celebrate self-reliance and resourcefulness, with opportunities to make, repair, play, learn new hobbies and gather and swap skills.

Friday night features a night of balladry, ghostly tales and clog dancing. To accompany these events, the 2010 Serpentine Pavilion is hosting a one night sleepover exploring ideas of sleep mapping and the psychedelic qualities of insomnia. This is reviewed through talks, films, experiments and a midnight feast staged within the Pavilion.

Saturday highlights family-orientated pursuits, including a costume workshop for children and Morris dancing lessons, amongst many other activities.

SKITSCH is an Italian producer and retailer of contemporary design, which launched with aplomb in Milan in April 2009. Now they have opened a new 350-square-metre store on Brompton Road, in the heart of the Brompton Design District.

SKITSCH

270 Brompton Road, London SW3 2AW

Skitsch is not only a design retailer but also a producer of its own collection of contemporary interior products, which is an unusual and bold move for such a young company. They are positioning themselves at the top-end of the market in their location alongside the brand establishment of Brompton.

Steered by the creative direction of the characterful dame of Italian design, Cristina Morozzi, the Skitsch collection comprises works by dozens of emerging and established international designers. LDG editor Max Fraser interviewed Morozzi during Skitsch’s launch in Milan in 2009 – watch the interview here.

Visitors to the London store can expect to find chairs, tables, sofas, storage, beds, lamps, accessories, objects, and textiles. Design junkies should look out for designs by the likes of Maarten Baas (Netherlands), Front (Sweden), Xavier Lust (Belgium), Peter Marigold (UK), Luca Nichetto (Italy), Giles Miller (UK), Bertjan Pot (Netherlands), Marc Sadler (Italy), Marcel Wanders (Netherlands), 5.5 Designers (France), and Jean-Marie Massaud (France), plus many others.

Products can also be ordered online and delivered to your home.