EVENT 001:
GROUNDED TRANSCENDENCE

Thank you to everyone who visited the Domus showroom during Clerkenwell Design Week 2026.

Event 001: Grounded Transcendence, developed in collaboration with CAKE Architecture, transformed the showroom into an evolving three-day installation exploring the Proto/Synthesis trend through materiality, atmosphere, light, sound and spatial experience.

Beginning with Proto, progressing through Proto/Synthesis and concluding with Synthesis, the installation evolved day by day through a programme of design talks, immersive sonic experiences and evening events. 

A huge thank you to all our collaborators, speakers, performers and visitors who helped bring the concept to life.

 

Ways To Discover The Featured Products
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Visit A Domus Showroom

Arrange A Showcase At Your Office

Explore The Materials Online

 

DOMUS X CAKE:
EVENT 001

Event 001: Grounded Transcendence explored the relationship between space, sound and surface through an evolving showroom installation designed by CAKE Architecture.

Rather than presenting Proto/Synthesis as a fixed idea, CAKE treated it as a working process: something to be tested, experienced, and gradually formed through interaction. Drawing on the atmospheres of galleries, listening rooms and clubs, the installation shifted in tempo and energy across the week, inviting visitors to experience how material, sound and space can come together as a collective whole.

Prioritising process over spectacle, the Domus showroom became a site of ongoing transformation, where talks, screenings and performances incrementally activated the space, creating a place for experimentation and new spatial and cultural connections.

Exploring Proto/Synthesis Through Materials

Proto/Synthesis explores how natural textures, digital influence and future-focused materiality can come together to create grounded, sensory interiors. Throughout the installation, surfaces were selected to reflect this balance, combining geological references, handcrafted qualities and industrial finishes.

From expressive ceramics and tactile terracottas to metallic surfaces and engineered materials, the featured products demonstrated how contemporary interiors can move fluidly between the primal and the futuristic.

Explore the Proto/Synthesis trend in more detail, book a CPD presentation, or download the product guide featuring the materials showcased during Clerkenwell Design Week.

Perspectives on Space, Atmosphere & Perception

Two carefully curated talks explored the ideas behind Grounded Transcendence from different perspectives. Through discussions on photography, nightlife culture and collective experience, speakers Evan Purdy and Francesca Mamino examined how space, atmosphere and perception shape our relationship with our surroundings and with one another.

Together, the sessions extended the themes of the installation beyond materiality, encouraging visitors to consider the social, cultural and emotional dimensions of space.

Sonic Matter: Sensory Architecture & Sound

Jazreena Harlow's immersive sound experiences invited visitors to engage with Grounded Transcendence through vibration, frequency and deep listening. Using crystal singing bowls and voice-and-sound-healing techniques, she created environments that encouraged stillness, reflection, and connection.

Blending practical grounding with more expansive sensory states, the sessions explored how sound can shape atmosphere, influence perception and transform the way we experience space.

After Dark: Parties

As day turned to evening, Grounded Transcendence shifted from contemplation to collective experience. Inspired by the shared rituals and atmospheres of rally and rave culture, the evening programme explored how music, movement and community can create powerful moments of connection.

Curated by Tango, Big Ears and Shady Sisters, each event brought a distinct energy to the showroom, transforming the space into a gathering point for the design community and demonstrating how sound, rhythm, and collective participation can shape our experience of architecture and place.

With thanks to...

DJs / Performances: Softi, Jhumka, Stone, Guava Noise, Remi Sound, Afromerm, Juicyflutes, Kareem Samara, Eyeveyes, Farrant, Sophie McAlister, Harri Pepper, Sophie Red DJ, Nikol Music, Dean Watton

Sound System: Big Ears

Lighting: Jarrod Laser Hire

Visuals: Wasted Space

Graphics: Kuba From Poland

If you missed us at Clerkenwell Design Week, all featured products are available to view at any of our showrooms. Visit to explore the complete collection in person and speak with our team about your project needs.