What happens when you throw out the traditional gallery playbook? You get Unit.d, a space that is redefining how we interact with industrial design.
For this week's Plum Stories, we sat down with the founder of Unit.d, Duncan Riches, to unpack the exact tipping point that sparked the gallery’s creation and its unapologetic mission to democratise good design for the under-35 crowd.
Walk down a quiet backstreet near Haggerston Overground station, and you might miss it at first glance. Tucked into the ground floor of an old industrial factory building, sits a white-walled room roughly the size of a standard car garage.
Founded by Duncan Riches, creative director of Shoreditch Design Week, Unit.d was born out of a stark realisation: independent design and lifestyle shops have largely vanished from London's streets, replaced by major corporate brands or priced out by skyrocketing rents. In their wake, the contemporary design world has pivoted heavily toward ultra-expensive, four-figure collectible items.
Operating on a hyper-focused rhythm, open for just one week out of every four, Unit.d has cultivated a unique, high-energy community that thrives on the fleeting nature of its exhibitions.
We dive deep into how a space with its own rich history shapes the objects within it, and what it truly feels like to give local designers total creative control over batch production. From the electric atmosphere of an opening Wednesday night to the decision to hand over the keys to industrial designer Alexandra Gerber for their July show, this conversation is a masterclass in creative freedom and cultural disruption.
Watch the full interview to find out what continues to motivate Unit.d's founder, and how this singular space is shifting the definition of what a gallery can be.
