For our seventh episode of Architecture Masters at Home we’re joined by the artist-designer Yinka Ilori – described by The Financial Times as one of the world’s most in demand designers.
Born in London, much of his work references his West African heritage.
Yinka established his studio in 2017 with a loan from the Prince’s Trust, producing up-cycled furniture that were as much furniture as works of art.
In 2018 he won the LFA’s competition with Wandsworth Council to improve a gloomy underpass of the Thessaly Road Railway Bridge in Battersea. The competition called for designs to improve the experience for pedestrians and cyclists. His winning concept Happy Streets was designed and delivered for the 2019 LFA and transformed the underpass into a riot of colour.
Yinka together with architects Pricegore also won the LFA’s 2019 competition for the LFA’s second Dulwich Pavilion to be placed in the grounds of the John Soane-designed gallery for the duration the festival.
Their winning entry – the Colour Palace – proved a huge success attracting nearly 100,000 visitors to the south London gallery. The pavilion’s lattice structure and geometric patterns were described as mesmerising by The Guardian.
Yinka is now in huge demand from companies around the world from fashion brands to television stations.
With his studios space now closed, we joined Yinka down the line from his London home.