Vitra is to open a two-floor 5,600sq ft showroom in Clerkenwell in spring 2020.
The space is said to be more than just a showroom and is intended to act as a ‘creative hub’ where designers and architects can get together. There will be dedicated areas for product specification displays, events and workshops.
Vitra London will host exhibitions, social events and talks for the architects, designers and specifiers community as well as the wider bathroom industry.
Levent Giray, managing director of Vitra UK, said: “Vitra London marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for our business, enabling us to engage more effectively with our national and international client base. Our aim is for Vitra London to become a cornerstone of the architecture and design community – a place for clients to meet, work and socialise, as well as simplifying the bathroom specification process for them.
“Vitra London is a symbol of our global reach and will act as a springboard for further growth worldwide. We have been successfully exporting to the global market since 1983 and we are confident that our investment in London will solidify the company’s position as an international market leader for the bathroom sector.”
The showroom will be located in the Turnmill Building on Clerkenwell Road – the hub of London’s architect and design district. The company already has showrooms in Istanbul, Cologne, Mumbai and Moscow.
The ground floor will be the main space for hosting events. There will be designer bathroom ranges on display, including those created by designers Ross Lovegrove, Sebastian Conran, Terri Pecora, and most recently, Claudio Bellini and Arik Levy. There will also be a working brassware display.
The lower ground floor will have a dedicated specification area with displays of WCs, basins, tiles, and accessories. It will also have an immersive 4D theatre where visitors can use VR headsets.