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London Design Festival: A Creative Celebration
London comes alive every September with the London Design Festival. From September 16 to 24, the city turns into a hub of creativity as designers, artists, manufacturers, and makers showcase their talents. Founded in 2003 by Sir John Sorrell and Ben Evans, this week-long event covers 13 districts across London, including Battersea and Dalston to Stokey. The festival aims to highlight the diverse creative clusters in the capital and promote their work.
Must-See Highlights of the Festival
With so much to see and do during the London Design Festival, here are six highlights that you shouldn’t miss:
1. This Island Sunrise: Sadie Coles gallery in Mayfair presents a historical journey of British design through the stories of three thrones. Created by different makers, including Tom Dixon and Eduardo Paolozzi, these thrones symbolize dynastic authority and explore the cultural and material influences on British design. The exhibition also features found objects and artifacts reminiscent of high-street antique shops.
2. The Localist Café: Joseph Ellwood from Six Dots Design, in collaboration with Buckley Grey Yeoman and Shoreditch Arts Club, has created The Localist Café. This fully operational eatery showcases crockery and furniture from 40 UK-based designers. The café aims to champion local manufacturing and offers visitors the opportunity to purchase items on display.
3. Simone Brewster’s Spirit of Place: Artist and designer Simone Brewster collaborated with Amorim, the world’s largest cork producer, to create an installation celebrating the potential of cork as a material. The installation features five large-scale cork vessels, each representing different conditions required for trees to thrive. Take a stroll along the Strand to view these impressive sculptures.
4. Modernist Estates Tour: Join Stefi Orazi, graphic designer and author of London’s Perambulation guides, on a cycling tour of the city’s modernist housing estates. Explore architectural feats such as the Brunswick Centre, Golden Lane estate, and the Barbican. If cycling isn’t your thing, join fitness coach Ed Conway on a running tour that highlights mid-century and brutalist haunts in King’s Cross and Bloomsbury.
5. Small Spaces in the City: Rethinking Inside the Box: Visit the Roca London Gallery to explore the challenge of small spaces. This exhibition curated by Clare Farrow Studio examines how designers can make micro-spaces liveable and enjoyable. Highlights include a short film featuring the Royal Ballet’s William Bracewell dancing in a 22 sq m dressing room and performance art exploring the benefits of healthy bacteria in our living spaces.
6. Grand Passion Pianos: Experience the intersection of design and music at the Grand Passion Pianos showroom in Fitzrovia. Be captivated by a bespoke Pleyel grand piano designed by Hilton McConnico, as well as other unique Pleyel designs. Leading concert pianist Jonathan Ferrucci will perform a special recital on McConnico’s piano, accompanied by a digital artwork that simulates the workings of his mind.
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