Ikenga x Soho Works, Shoreditch
28 June 2024
Soho Works in Shoreditch was the venue for our June Mixer where we were treated to presentations from esteemed speakers, who were:
Gerard Mensah, born in Amsterdam and relocated to the UK at 16, pursued his passion for design in London, studying fashion design and architecture. Throughout his career, Gerard has made significant contributions, including involvement in the World Architecture Festival (WAF) and the design of the 2012 London Equestrian Olympic Foley. One of his notable achievements was the Kreod parametric design installation at the O2 Arena. Gerard transitioned to recruitment within architecture and design before co-founding KWFM, a construction company specializing in development, renovations, and maintenance. Looking forward, he plans to develop assets in London and undertake multi-unit projects in St. Lucia and Ghana, aiming to expand globally.
Donald Baugh: Recognising the intrinsic natural beauty of wood, Donald Baugh has created a collection of stunning sculptural vessels and lighting. Baugh's work is beautiful and precise, combining traditional craftsmanship with contemporary design and embracing bold shapes and use of colour.
Each vessel begins with a careful selection of the wood, drawing inspiration from wood as a living material, highlighting its natural characteristics and history to create unique, beautifully crafted pieces.
Baugh is passionate about the sustainable practice of harvesting timber and works closely with the Forestry Commission and tree surgeon Dariusz Salarski to source his materials, celebrating the uniqueness of nature.
Since having honed his craft at the world-renowned Rycotewood Furniture School in Oxfordshire, graduating in 1996, Baugh has been working as a bespoke cabinet maker and furniture designer commissioned by private and commercial clients.
Two selected Architecture graduates from Central St Martins presented their projects:
Peerada Liewchanpatana and her project, ‘The Nature Factory’; and Sho Ono and his project, ‘CANVAS’ (there are 2 excerpts from Sho’s project in the gallery below).
