Yinka Ilori

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    Yinka Ilori imbues Courvoisier bar with natural beauty of Cognac region

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    A wavy canopy emerges like a fountain from this pop-up cognac bar inside Selfridges in London, designed by local designer Yinka Ilori to mimic the glistening waters of the Charente river in France’s Cognac region.

    The bar belongs to cognac brand Courvoisier and was designed to capture its hometown of Jarnac and the surrounding region, where cognac brandy is made using white grapes from one of six designated “crus” or areas.
    Courvoisier has opened a pop-up bar at SelfridgesIlori wanted to bring this bucolic setting to London’s Selfridges department store, using it to inform the colours and patterns featured throughout the space.
    “I aimed to capture the essence of Jarnac – the warmth of the sun, the rippling of water, the beautiful wildflowers and the natural beauty in the surroundings,” he told Dezeen.
    “The design pays homage to the magic and nature of Jarnac, creating a space that embodies its spirit.”

    The interior was designed by Yinka IloriThe town’s location on the Charente river is the most prominent influence, seen across the pale-blue floors, the sinuous rippling pattern on the walls and, most importantly, in the bar itself.
    Here, a circular counter was topped with a wavy blue canopy that seems to pour out of a central pillar, with the same pattern continuing down onto the base.
    Ilori also designed a limited-edition VSOP bottle for the brand”I wanted people to feel like they were surrounded by water, with it flowing both above and below them, creating a sense of immersion and tranquillity,” Ilori said.
    “The design of the canopy aims to reference the effortless flow of water, making visitors feel as though they are in the midst of a serene river.”
    The bar’s scalloped countertop picks up on the sinuous shape of the waves but provides a colourful contrast thanks to its lacquered red finish.

    Yinka Ilori draws on “unapologetic” architecture of Burkina Faso for debut pop-up shop

    Another reoccurring feature throughout the space is a cartoonish flower shape that nods to Jarnac’s wildflower fields and is found across drinks stands and upholstered benches in the seating area.
    To create a visual connection between the blue waves and the buttercup-coloured flowers, Ilori incorporated a sunset gradient that fades from yellow to soft lilac and envelops several cylindrical display stands as well as the base of the bar.
    “I was struck by the gradients in the sky in Jarnac and wanted to capture this unique visual,” Ilori said.
    A wavy pattern features across the wallsThese three repeated motifs, spanning earth, sky and water, also feature in the limited-edition bottle design that Ilori created for Courvoisier’s Very Superior Old Pale (VSOP) cognac.
    The bottles are available in four different ombre colours and displayed throughout the bar, which will stay open for three weeks until 11 September.
    The same pattern is picked up in the canopy of the barThe project forms part of Ilori’s ongoing collaboration with Courvoisier as the brand’s “ambassador of joy”.
    Last year, the designer created an immersive dining for Courvoisier in New York, designed to transport diners into a surrealist interpretation of Jarnac.
    Ilori’s colourful work is often considered as part of the New London Fabulous movement and includes a colourful skate park in Lille and The Colour Palace pavilion at the London Festival of Architecture.

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      Yinka Ilori draws on “unapologetic” architecture of Burkina Faso for debut pop-up shop

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      Modular display stands modelled on buildings in Burkina Faso feature in the first brick-and-mortar shop that London-based designer Yinka Ilori has created for his self-titled homeware brand.

      Taking over a compact retail space in Shoreditch in the leadup to Christmas, the pop-up shop features a colour-block interior designed to match the products on sale, as slime-green walls clash with pink and orange flooring.
      Yinka Ilori has opened a pop-up shop in LondonThis “more is more” philosophy to colour also extends onto the store’s glossy lacquered product displays, designed by Ilori to reference the construction of mosques and homes in Burkina Faso.
      “I am really obsessed with their design language which is very African, very rich and very unapologetic,” he told Dezeen.
      “There is a recurring use of squares and triangles and you sometimes also see poles sticking out of the structures. I found these poles fascinating. They are structural but also used to make it easy for people to climb up and repair the building.”

      Products are displayed in modular colour-block storage unitsIn the store, these shapes are reflected in the modular storage units, which are constructed from medium-density fibreboard (MDF) and each topped with a stepped pyramid.
      Strategically placed holes can be used much like those on a pegboard to add poles of different sizes and provide storage for a changing array of products.
      Longer rails can be slotted in to hang T-shirts and throws, while smaller pegs can hold umbrellas or prop up shelves for presenting mugs, notebooks and other lifestyle items.
      The units end in stepped pyramidsBulkier items such as the designer’s collection of tableware and limited-edition basketballs are displayed on counters panelled in ribbed MDF that is sprayed in a gradient of colours to emphasise their sinuous shapes.
      At the store’s entrance, six of Ilori’s hand-painted Square Stools are arranged into a towering window display that shows off their stackability.

      “I use colour as a way of starting a conversation” says designer Yinka Ilori

      The opening of the pop-up also coincides with Ilori’s latest product drop. Themed around “memory-making, togetherness and play”, this includes everything from notebooks and basketballs finished in sunny, childlike patterns to a collectible version of the traditional Yoruban strategy game Ayo.
      In line with this idea, the shop will also host different events for the local community, from an Ayo tournament to a tasting of Nigerian palm wine.
      The counters have slatted legs painted in a gradient of coloursOpening his first physical store is “an absolute dream come true”, Ilori said.
      “My public projects are all about interaction both between audiences and with the work itself but I don’t often get to interact directly with people and I feel it’s time for me to do that,” he added.
      “Through the store, I’m able to get their feedback on my work and also see how they interact with each of the products and the stories I’m trying to tell through these pieces.”
      The shop’s floor was finished in a vibrant colourIlori started his homeware brand in 2020 with the aim of reworking “unexpected, functional household items as artworks” by imbuing them with bold colours and patterns that reference his British-Nigerian heritage.
      The products feature many of the same patterns he previously developed for his large-scale installations, such as The Colour Palace pavilion he created for the London Festival of Architecture together with local studio Pricegore.

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      Exhibition dedicated to the work of Yinka Ilori opens at London's Design Museum

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      Brightly coloured chairs and personal memorabilia feature in the Parables for Happiness exhibition showcasing the works of London-based designer Yinka Ilori at the Design Museum.

      Opened during London Design Festival, the exhibition is the first major display of Ilori’s vast number of vibrant designs, including graphic murals, furniture and public installations.
      Parables of Happiness showcases a wide selection of Ilori’s designsIlori’s designs are exhibited alongside pieces that influenced his work and objects representing his Nigerian heritage, including Nigerian textiles adorned with colourful geometric patterns and a traditional Dùndún drum that visitors can play.
      The show also includes models of some of the 80 sculptural chairs that Ilori has designed.
      Ilori started his career designing chairsOne of Ilori’s chair designs is presented in a line-up of iconic and recognisable chairs with the aim of giving context to his work. Included in the display is the RCP2 chair by Jane Atfield, who was Ilori’s tutor at university.

      “One of the reasons I started designing was because of a brief given by Jane Atfield called Our Chair,” Ilori told Dezeen. “Purely because of her brief is why I started designing chairs when I finished uni.”
      A chair designed by David Adjaye is exhibited alongside Ilori’s workAnother chair on display is the Washington Skeleton Side Chair designed by British-Ghanian architect David Adjaye, who Ilori credits with having “opened doors for designers like me”.
      “Over the years, my work has gained recognition for the strong use of colour, pattern and narrative that comes from my Nigerian heritage,” said Ilori. “However, it has often deviated from design trends and has been misunderstood”
      “This display charts my inspirations and creative journey as I transitioned from furniture design to community-driven public installations,” he continued.
      His work is influenced by Nigerian textilesVisitors to the exhibition can discover Ilori’s architectural projects through photographs, drawings and models including his Colour Palace pavilion, which was erected in Dulwich in 2019.
      Details of Ilori’s Launderette of Dreams – an installation that involved reimagining a launderette in London as a children’s play zone for Lego – are displayed. A lego chair that formed part of the Launderette of Dreams installation is also on display at the show.

      Yinka Ilori builds colourful Lego launderette in east London for kids to play in

      “A fast-rising star of contemporary design, Yinka Ilori’s unique aesthetic – drawing on Nigerian textiles with a nod to postmodernism – employs a mix of visual references that come together to inspire joy,” said the exhibition’s curator Priya Khanchandani.
      “This display is a testament to how cultural fusions, frissons and juxtapositions can be rich fuel for creativity and for generating more inclusive architectures in the city.”
      Chairs and details of the designer’s public installations are included in the exhibitionAs well as showcasing Ilori’s bright, playful designs and examples of his design influences, the exhibition features some of the designer’s personal items.
      Visitors can see his name badge from working at Marks and Spencer and a pair of paint-splattered trousers that Ilori wore while painting a number of his graphic murals.
      Ilori is known for his use of colour and graphic representation”I’m a huge believer in memory making and storytelling – how do we relive or revisit memories?” said Ilori.
      In Parables of Happiness, Ilori hopes to “open up new conversations about design in the UK and internationally, to see how other people view design around the world”.
      “I am truly humbled and honoured to have my work exhibited at such an early stage in my career and hope the display provides inspiration for the next generation who might feel they don’t fit into the status quo,” the designer continued.
      Known for his colourful designs, Ilori has recently completed a pavilion in Berlin with a canopy made up of brightly coloured translucent disks and transformed his London studio and office with bold hues indicative of his signature art style.
      The photography is by Felix Speller.
      Parables for Happiness takes place from 15 September 2022 to 25 June 2023 at the Design Museum in London. See Dezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world.

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      Yinka Ilori gives London studio colourful revamp

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      Designer Yinka Ilori has collaborated with British architect Sam Jacob to give his London studio and office a bright revamp.

      Ilori worked with Jacob to transform the standard industrial-style unit into a bright and lively flexible workspace.
      Yinka Ilori collaborated with Sam Jacob to redesign his studio”We wanted to rethink what an artists’ studio is and look at how we could experiment with space to create a flexible and multifunctional environment that could respond to the different needs,” Ilori told Dezeen.
      “Yinka’s brief at the outset was a really great question about what a designer’s studio could be: how it could be a place to create but also a place to share, to host and to communicate,” added Jacob.
      Ilori’s office space is largely pinkEntirely painted in the bright tones often used within Ilori’s installations, furniture and artworks, the space is divided into three distinct zones.

      These areas, which will be used as an office, exhibition area and archive with a kitchen, are divided by curtains and sliding doors so that they can be combined into a large space.

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      “The aim was to create distinct areas in the space, and we did this using different materials from solid walls, sliding doors, felt and translucent curtains so that there is a flexibility in the way the space can be arranged,” explained Jacob.
      “Plus the way Yinka uses colour has a real effect on the definition, organisation and feel of space.”
      A transparent curtain divides two spaces”We wanted the studio to have distinct zones but at the same time be able to open or close spaces to create privacy,” explained Ilori.
      “We’ve used a number of translucent and solid curtains as well as large sliding doors to my office which means all the spaces can feel connected or we can separate different areas out,” he continued.
      “We’ve also used colour to define the function of the space so my team and my work area is dominated by pink, while the communal spaces and display spaces use blues and yellows.”
      Ilori’s office is accessed through a pair of sliding doorsOverall, Ilori believes that the collaboration with Jacob has resulted in a unique office that makes the most of the space.
      “Sam and I have quite a lot of common ground in terms of our design aesthetic so it was a really interesting experience to be able to share our ideas,” he said.
      “We were both able to see things through the others’ perspective and specialism which is what has resulted in us creating something really quite unique.”
      Furniture is stored in the archive space”We spent a lot of time discussing the space together to see how we could make it work for me,” he continued.
      “It was through those discussions that we were able to shape the design to make sure it was as practical as possible and could really function as a contemporary studio.”
      Ilori recently created a colourful maze-like installation for the V&A Dundee and designed a rainbow-coloured basketball court in Canary Wharf.
      Jacob’s recent projects include London’s Cartoon Museum, an events space for the ArtReview magazine and a contemporary neolithic shelter in Shenzhen.
      The photography is by Lewis Khan.

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      David Chipperfield, Yinka Ilori and Ilse Crawford recognised in Queen's New Year Honours list

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      Architect David Chipperfield has been given one of the highest awards available to a British citizen while designers including Yinka Ilori, Ilse Crawford and 6a Architects have received honours in the 2021 New Year Honours list.Chipperfield was added to the elite Order of the Companions of Honour in the annual list of awards given for achievements by British citizens.
      Interior designer Crawford has been awarded a CBE, 6a Architects co-founders Thomas Emerson and Stephanie Macdonald OBEs and London designer Ilori an MBE.

      David Chipperfield has designed numerous cultural buildings including the renovation of the Neues Museum. photo is by Joerg von Buchhausen

      British architect Chipperfield joins Richard Rogers in the order Order of the Companions of Honour, which is limited to 65 members and is awarded “for having a major contribution to the arts, science, medicine, or government lasting over a long period of time”.
      RIBA Gold Medal-winner Chipperfield established his studio David Chipperfield Architects in 1985.
      He has designed numerous significant cultural buildings in the UK including the River and Rowing Museum in Henley-on-Thames and Hepworth Wakefield in Wakefield, which were both shortlisted for the Stirling Prize, as well as the Turner Contemporary in Margate.

      Chipperfield designed the Hepworth Wakefield in Yorkshire. Photo is by Iwan Baan
      Chipperfield, who has an office in Berlin, also completed numerous cultural buildings in Germany including the Museum of Modern Literature in Marbach, Germany, which won the RIBA Stirling Prize in 2007.

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      A further four buildings designed by the studio in the country have been shortlisted for the Stirling Prize with the prestigious renovation of the Neues Museum in central Berlin being nominated in 2010. The building won the EU Prize for Contemporary Architecture – Mies van der Rohe Award in 2011.

      Yinka Ilori was made an MBE
      Alongside Chipperfield, several other architects and designers were recognised on the New Year Honours list.
      Rising star Ilori has been made a Member of the British Empire (MBE) for his services to design. Known for his colourful style, the designer began making furniture and has more recently creating larger installations including a summer pavilion in Dulwich and the renovating an underpass in Battersea.

      Yinka Ilori designed the Colour Palace in Dulwich with architecture studio Pricegore
      Writing on Instagram after receiving the award, Illori revealed that he almost gave up being a designer five years ago.
      “In 2015 there were sometimes thoughts of giving up designing due to the frustration and feeling people didn’t understand the designer I wanted to be,” he wrote.
      “The driving force behind me to continue and push through was always the desire to make my parents proud,” he continued. “They had given up so much of their own lives to make sure me and my siblings had the best in life
      “No matter what situation you are in it is never permanent. Keep pushing because if a young kid like me from Islington can do it so can you.”
      This year, Ilori won the Design Museum’s Emerging Design Medal, designed a colourful skatepark in France and created a message of hope in support of the UK’s National Health Service.

      Ilse Crawford has been awarded a CBE
      British interior designer Crawford has been made a Commander of the British Empire (CBE). Crawford, who was made a Member of the British Empire in the 2014 New Year Honours list, runs multidisciplinary design studio Studioilse and was the founder of the Man and Wellbeing department at Design Academy Eindhoven.
      She was recently profiled in Netflix’s Abstract: The Art of Design series and spoke to Dezeen during Virtual Design Festival.

      6a Architects designed the MK Gallery
      Also honoured on the list were 6a Architects co-founders Thomas Emerson and Stephanie Macdonald, who both were given the Order of the British Empire.
      Emerson and Macdonald founded 6a Architects, which is best-known for designing cultural buildings in the UK, in 2001. The studio recently extended the MK Gallery in Milton Keynes and previously renovated the Raven Row contemporary art gallery in east London and expanded the South London Gallery.
      Its design for a photography studio for Juergen Teller was shortlisted for the Stirling Prize 2017.
      The Queen’s New Year Honours are awarded each year in December. Together with the Birthday Honours given out on the Queen’s birthday in June they make up part of the British honours system.
      In last year’s New Year Honour list, architect Jamie Fobert and graphic designer Peter Saville received CBEs, while designer Sadie Morgan received an OBE.

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      Yinka Ilori applies joyful hues to London's Mira Mikati store

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      Multi-coloured walls, geometric floors and a seesaw feature in this west London fashion store, which Yinka Ilori has designed to match the playful nature of the brand’s clothing collections. The 74-square-metre store, which Mira Mikati has nicknamed Happy House, is nestled amongst a row of boutiques in London’s affluent Chelsea neighbourhood. This is the first flagship […] More