Saville and Adjaye collaborate on Kvadrat showroom

Design gurus Peter Saville and David Adjaye have collaborated to create Danish textile multinational Kvadrat’s showcase London showroom, expected to open in 2009.

The commercial space, intended as a ‘drop in’ for professional designers, is the latest phase in Kvadrat’s international network of showrooms designed to ‘engage contemporary design culture’. Its most recent space in Stockholm, Sweden was designed by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec.

Saville, as consultant art director on the project, has influenced the graphic identity and interior design of a new display space. The graphic designer, known for his work with Man chester band New Order, has worked with Kvadrat for five years and has led teams on a number of brand identity and logo projects. He was appointed to work on the London showroom last year.

Architect David Adjaye, who was brought on board by Saville earlier this year, has devised a spatial concept based on Saville’s artwork for New Order’s Blue Monday track. ‘He put forward a conceptual vision based on colour. Blue Monday was the vision in his mind. The space is about Saville and Kvadrat,’ explains Saville.

Saville has looked at the use of colour and digital imagery in the space. ‘The space lends itself to projection well, so we’ll have a programme of DVD projections on to a huge wall – using it as an auditorium to be stimula ting,’ he says. ‘I might find myself making one of the projections.’

The project, according to Saville, is indicative of his shift from graphic designer to consultant. ‘I can now function as artist and designer. The things I’m interested in doing tend not to be involved in the business of design. Everything I do is in a consultative role,’ he says.

Kvadrat primarily provides textiles and fabrics for architectural projects and furniture designed for new spaces. The company has, from 2006, collaborated with international designers and architects to create its showrooms.

This week sees the opening of Spin: The Art of Cover Design, an album art exhibition running until 3 October at The Arts Gallery, London W1, co-curated by Saville (www.designweek.co.uk, 1 August).