The Embassy of the Czech Republic in London and the Association of Czech Industrial Design cordially invite you to the CZECH DESIGN IN LONDON.

Come peek into the unique showcase of products intended for projects in workspace, high-end hospitality, residential and other premium sectors. We bring together a selection of the best of the portfolio of 15 leading Czech labels, including the brands mmcité, Preciosa, Ravak and Bomma. They all share a deep respect for traditional craftsmanship, openness to innovation and an emphasis on timelessness when working with trends – i.e. values that are also common to Czech and British approaches to design.

The panel discussion, moderated by Benedict Hobson (co-CEO of Dezeen), will focus on the phenomenon of Czech design through British eyes. Panellists with many years of professional experience from both countries will offer valuable insights on what unites our cultures and how they enrich each other in the field of design. The keynote speaker, Jakub Pollag, the Royal College of Art graduate, worked as a product designer for London based label, Buster + Punch.

Czech and British design share roots in the turbulent times of the industrial revolution. While the term "industrial design" was born in England, the territory of today's Czech Republic gave birth to the first piece of design, which is still in production to this day. These are the Ton cafe chair Ref. 14 as designed by Michael Thonet and the iconic teapot of the first industrial designer Christopher Dresser. They perfectly illustrate the social characteristics of our cultures. At "beer at five", we will reveal their differences as well as surprising similarities and maybe we will disprove a few stereotypes.

The Czechoslovak Embassy building was designed by Czech architects Jan Šrámek, Jan Bočan and, Karel Štepánský in association with Robert Matthew of Johnson-Marshall & Partners, the architect better known for designing London’s Royal Festival Hall. The Embassy complex was awarded a RIBA Architecture Award in 1971. The jury for the London region made a unanimous choice in favour of the Czechoslovak Embassy from 33 entries. The jurors, Gabriel Epstein, Birkin Howard and, Sidney Lloyd accompanied their decision with the following comment. "Unlike so many examples of precast concrete buildings which are weathering badly, this one is a refined example of its kind, skillfully detailed technically and aesthetically". Like the Barbican with its bush-hammered appearance, the finish is rough and shows the tool work. A guided tour will be available on request.

Doors open at 16:40, last entry at 20:00

We are looking forward to seeing you!

We kindly ask each attendee to register with their full name and bring their photo ID.

Please note that due to limited capacity this business event is only for professionals in the area of design and architecture. Thank you for your understanding.