A major exhibition of specially commissioned design souvenirs presented at Edinburgh Airport during the Edinburgh International Festival.
August 2016
Edinburgh Airport
A key part of Scotland’s Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design, Local Heroes – Scottish Design at Edinburgh Airport presented contemporary design to a global audience, spanning 120 different locations and three continents. Our exhibition was seen by over 500,000 people and covered extensively by national and international press including Vogue, The Skinny, BBC, We Heart, Design Week, The Future Laboratory, and The List.
We commissioned some of Scotland’s most interesting and successful designers to create exclusive products for Local Heroes 2016 which you can view below along with films about each designer. This work collectively represents a striking period of contemporary design in Scotland characterised by a renewed confidence and optimism. Local Heroes leaves behind stereotypes about the Scottish design aesthetic and emphasises the modern approach of contemporary designers who embrace bright colour, dynamic pattern and innovative techniques and materials.
The exhibition and shop featured designers based in Scotland whose work exemplifies outstanding quality, originality and design thinking. A special public programme of design events was produced in partnership with Creative Dundee and Creative Edinburgh.
The Future of Home by Local Heroes showroom at London Design Festival 2021 celebrated Scotland’s contemporary design scene. Part of the prestigious Brompton Design District, designers from 15 studios and brands that embody Scotland’s dynamic design culture, were invited by curator Stacey Hunter to exhibit new work in a special collection marking five years since the first Local Heroes exhibition.
Reflecting on an increased fluidity between our home and our workspace, The Future of Home offered a fresh take on modern interiors. Over 40 new products, from furniture and lighting to textiles and collectible craft were brought together to create spaces of comfort and style that also reflect the hybrid needs of flexible working.
The Future of Home offered a vision of a future where interiors are fun, beautiful, and tactile. A platform for critical discussion, and acquisition, the exhibition presented product launches from a new generation of designers.
This exhibition was made possible with the support of the National Lottery through Creative Scotland.
