‘Light’ Pleasures and A Journey to 18th Century England

Warmly lit Danpalon^® walls lure visitors to Broom’s masterpiece, ‘Park Life’ in Sydney

2019 saw leading British designer Lee Broom create one of his most significant landmark exhibitions to date with a presentation for Space Furniture in Australia. At 4,000 square feet, the presentation was the largest show Lee Broom has presented and took place below the flagship showroom of Space Furniture within an underground car park. Employing the urban surroundings of the location, Lee Broom completely transformed the industrial car park and created a contemporary interpretation of a traditional garden park. Taking the form of a maze, ‘Park Life’ took guests on a poetic journey of discovery through hidden passageways, with tableaus and vignettes showcasing the brand’s lighting, furniture and accessories in a whole new light.

Since opening his London studio in 2007, Lee has been mixing art history with modern technology and style, premium quality craftsmanship and an eye for detail. Light is applied in creative and innovative ways to Danpalon^® polycarbonate panels, marble, crystal and brass to reinvent what was and what is.

‘Park Life’ is elegant, haunting and poetic

The exhibition featured objects from Space Furniture, while the illuminated panels at the start of the maze were donated by Danpal Australia. Danpalon^® panels added light and shadow to create a sense of depth and grandeur. As Lee said, “Danpal was the perfect architectural solution for creating the right lighting effects and structure for our installation”.

Prior to the opening of his studio, Lee interned with Vivian Westwood and studied at the renowned Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design. Just some of the notable alumni from Central Saint Martins include Marc Jacobs, Alexander McQueen, John Galliano, Richard Deacon and Stella McCartney.

Just as many pleasure gardens offered miniature mazes to thrill and excite visitors, Lee Broom created his own theatrical experience. ‘Park Life’ was more than just an exhibition, it was a theatrical experience. Visitors were lured into the mysteries of the maze by following a long runway towards a screen of warmly lit Danpalon^® walls. Upon reaching the end of the runway, a door displaying the initials ‘LB’ was revealed. Through twists turns, large and small rooms, visitors experienced first-hand the effects of light in design and the romance and mystery that abounded in ‘Park Life’.

The pleasure gardens of Georgian England were an escape. They provided art, music, fine food and beautiful, landscaped gardens and played host to many a ball, masquerades and fireworks. The light and shadows in ‘Park Life’ lend to both the exclusive and more diverse pleasure gardens of 18th century England. London high society were the main attendees at the pleasure gardens however one particular garden in Vauxhall had a lower entry price and attracted a more diverse crowd. Hidden in the darkness were treachery and debauchery.

Lee Broom has been listed in The London Evening as one of the most influential people in London. Other esteemed designers and architects listed included Amanda Levete, Edward Barber, David Adjaye, David Chipperfield and Jay Osgerby. In 2015 Broom was presented the Queen’s Award for Enterprise by the Queen.

Broom’s first experience in Australia was as a keynote speaker at Melbourne Fashion Week in 2012. Following on from a whirlwind and highly successful tour of America in 2018, Lee turned his sights back to Australia for the exclusive release of ‘Park Life’. Australia has welcomed Broom and his talents with open arms, quickly becoming Broom’s third largest global market.

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