Dynamic, a trade-only furniture supplier, is bringing its 1966 Routemaster bus to Shoreditch Design Week in September 2026. The bus, named the Dynamibus, will be parked outside House of ICON at Shoreditch Town Hall from September 15 to 17. This unique initiative reflects Dynamic’s commitment to bringing its products directly to clients, challenging the traditional showroom model.
A mobile showroom with a difference
The Dynamibus is a unique mobile showroom, showcasing Dynamic’s soft seating and acoustic ranges. The company, based in Northampton, has been trading for 20 years and sells exclusively through the trade. On board, visitors can explore a working edit of Dynamic’s range, including soft seating designed and manufactured in Northampton, alongside PET felt samples from its SCH! acoustic collection. This mobile approach allows Dynamic to reach customers across the country, who are otherwise spread far from its Northampton HQ.
Carl Verlander, Dynamic’s founder, explains the concept: “A showroom asks everybody to come to you,” he says. The Routemaster’s iconic design and mobility allow Dynamic to bring its products directly to designers and clients. Verlander adds, “You can photograph a sofa beautifully, but it won’t tell you how it feels,” saying that “Designers want to sit on the product and push at the foam, look at the stitching. Nearly every conversation gets easier once the product is in the room with you.”
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A Routemaster reborn
The bus’s exterior remains true to its original 1966 design, retaining the iconic open platform at the back, but the interior has been transformed. The lower deck features soft seating and height-adjustable desks, while the upper deck is dedicated to task and operator chairs. This refit required meticulous planning, particularly around the wheel arches, which intrude into the seating area.
Dynamic faced challenges in adapting the bus, particularly with the wheel arches intruding into the seating area. They created custom units to fit around the arches, ensuring the furniture survives the journey and functions as a showroom. Verlander notes, “You can’t move a wall and you can’t move an arch. And whatever you put in has to survive being driven up the M1 afterwards. It taught us more about planning a space than any showroom has.”
Furniture built to last
The Routemaster’s modular design, with easily replaceable parts, mirrors Dynamic’s approach to furniture. Their seating is designed for longevity and adaptability, with interchangeable units and replaceable covers. The bus itself exemplifies this philosophy, as almost every major component has been swapped out at least once, including the engine twice, ensuring its continued operation into 2026.
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Verlander emphasizes the importance of durability and ease of repair: “The more useful one is what happens when a single part of it needs replacing,” he says. This philosophy is reflected in their ten-year guarantee on soft seating.
During Shoreditch Design Week, visitors can board the Dynamibus and experience Dynamic’s furniture firsthand. The bus will be located at 380 Old Street, EC1V 9LT, offering a unique opportunity to explore their range in a one-of-a-kind setting. For three days in September, the Dynamibus becomes Dynamic’s London address, inviting visitors to climb aboard and take a seat, embodying the company’s innovative approach to furniture design and accessibility. For more on Dynamic’s full range, visit here.
