This week is the London Design Festival which boasts hundreds of events over the entire city with hubs in the major design districts. Several days of talks, exhibitions, open studios, and events make for an incredibly inspiring time to learn about what's going on here in the city and all over the UK, but it's good to have a plan.
This year, I've compiled a list of the events that I hope to attend.
Dragon Rouge
Talk / Seminar
Tue 6.45pm-8.30pm
buildingbrighterfuturestickets.ev...
architecture.com
The Wren Room, 6th Floor, Royal Institute of British Architects, 66 Portland Place, W1B 1AD
Join us for a lively conversation about how we will live and work in the future. A panel of leading experts will discuss the forces that are shaping the built environment and reveal what opportunities these will create for innovation. Register online for your free ticket.
Ten Designers in the West Wing
London Design Festival
Exhibition
Mon-Wed & Sun 10am-6pm, Thu-Sat 10am-9pm
somersethouse.org.uk
West Wing, Somerset House, Strand, WC2R 1LA
The London Design Festival is launching an exhibition of ten major international designers as part of its new partnership with the high-profile venue of Somerset House.
Explore the heart of creative London
Oxo Tower Wharf
Open Studio
Bankside Design District
Various times - check website for details
oxotower.co.uk
Oxo Tower Wharf, Bargehouse Street, SE1 9PH
Celebrate London Design Festival with events taking place across Oxo Tower Wharf, the heart of creative London, and proud member of the Bankside Design District. Individual designer-maker studios have organised a number of special events throughout London Design Festival.
Design Exhibition, Design Talks, Designer Performances
Matter of Stuff
Exhibition
Thu 11am–8pm, Fri-Sat 11am-8pm, Sun 11am-8pm
matterofstuff.com
thehospitalclub.com
The Hospital Club, 24 Endell Street , WC2H 9HQ
Matter Of Stuff, the architecture studio and online design gallery-shop, will present an exhibition celebrating works by its roster of European designers. The exhibition will show the concepts and processes behind the works through a programme of talks, video presentations and live performances.
CBS: Recharge and Refresh Zone
Colebrook Bosson Saunders
Open Studio
Bankside Design District
Mon-Fri 10am-5pm
colebrookbossonsaunders.com
Colebrook Bosson Saunders, 35 Union Street, SE1 1SD
Visit the Colebrook Bosson Saunders showroom to recharge your phone and personal devices with the new power and lighting device, Cubert. Refreshments will also be provided throughout the day so you can sit back and relax while planning your next trip around the Bankside Design District.
Do Shop
Exhibition
Mon-Wed & Fri-Sat 10am-6.30pm, Thu 10am-8pm, Sun 12pm-6pm
www.do-shop.com
34 Shorts Gardens, WC2H 9PX
Do Masters is the leading commercial showcase for the best new design graduate work in London, now in its 9th year. Unlike most other graduate shows, substantially all profits from sale of products are returned to the designers.
Signs & Signwriting in Bankside
Better Letters / Ghostsigns
Workshop
Bankside Design District
Sat-Sun 10am-5pm, Sat 7.30pm-11pm, Mon 2pm-4pm
betterletters.co/ldf15
betterletters.co/workshops
Market Hall, Borough Market, SE1 9AL
'Signs and Signwriting in Bankside' offers the chance to: try your hand at painting letters with sign legend Mike Meyer; compare the signwriting traditions of the USA and UK through a cinematic double bill; and travel back in time to appreciate yesteryear's signwriting in the form of 'ghostsigns'.
Tour: London Design Festival at the V&A
London Design Festival at the V&A
Walks / Tours
Brompton Design District
Daily 12pm, 2pm, 4pm; Friday 6pm, 7pm, 8pm
www.vam.ac.uk/
Victoria and Albert Museum, London, SW7 2RL
Join a free, guided tour of the London Design Festival at the V&A, taking in a host of installations and displays around the building.
Departing from the LDF Desk in the Main Entrance at 12pm, 2pm, 4pm daily; also 6pm, 7pm, 8pm on Friday.
Duration approx. 1 hour.
London Design Festival at the V&A
Walks / Tours
Brompton Design District
6pm - 10pm
www.vam.ac.uk/
Victoria and Albert Museum, London, SW7 2RL
Take in the London Design Festival at the V&A after dark with an evening of talks, tours, music, performance and special events.
Join a free tour of the specially-commissioned design installations around the building; drop into a design talk; and enjoy pop up performances around the Museum.
Moooi Residency at Sea Containers House
Moooi
Exhibition
Bankside Design District
Mon-Fri 10am-6pm
moooi.com
Ground Floor, East Studio Riverside Walk, Sea Containers, 18 Upper Ground, SE1 9PD
Moooi's next step in our London journey towards the unexpected welcome takes us to The Residency, at the stunning riverside setting of Sea Containers House, where you are invited to view an exhibition of our edited collection including the UK debut of some of the pieces from our 2015 collection.
Dialogues in Design & Craftsmanship
London Design Festival at the V&A
Exhibition
Brompton Design District
10am - 5.45pm; Friday 10am - 10pm
www.vam.ac.uk/
Victoria and Albert Museum, London, SW7 2RL
The renowned Swiss school ECAL/University of Art and Design Lausanne collaborates with craftsmen of traditional luxury brands to achieve exceptional work based on expertise, investment and skills.
This display showcases recent work by students of Design for Luxury and Craftsmanship.
London Design Festival at the V&A
Exhibition
Brompton Design District
10am - 5.45pm; Friday 10am - 10pm
www.vam.ac.uk/whatson/event/4623/...
Victoria and Albert Museum, London, SW7 2RL
Public architecture comprises the schools, libraries, hospitals, squares and other public places where we come together. These places have traditionally given meaning to, and made a setting for, our public lives.
open studio - young, fresh and British
urban living interiors
Exhibition
Mon-Fri 10am-6pm, Sat-Sun 12pm-5pm
urbanlivinginteriors.co.uk
urban living interiors, 85 Great Portland Street, W1W 7LT
open studio - young, fresh and British is a stunning showcase of new home grown talent - an exclusive selection of furniture, textiles, glassware and art curated by Mark Riese, Creative Director at urban living interiors. "A chance to glimpse some of tomorrows names in product design for interiors".
Domus
Exhibition
Mon-Fri 9am-5pm
domustiles.com
23-25 Eastcastle Street, W1W 8DF
Domus hosts an exhibition of architectural aid charity Article 25's project models, films, and photographs. Showcasing their development work in Nepal, Haiti and Burkina Faso, Article 25 builds stuff for some of the world’s most vulnerable communities.
Meet the Makers at Gabriel's Wharf
Oxo Tower Wharf
Open Studio
Bankside Design District
Tue-Sun 11am-6pm
coinstreet.org/Shop-venues/gabrie...
Gabriel's Wharf, 56 Upper Ground , SE1 9PP
Gabriel’s Wharf is an arty enclave of designer-makers on London’s South Bank. Pop into the studios at Gabriel’s Wharf to sample a range of jewellery, fashion, art, textiles and home wares, and soak up the bohemian design atmosphere. Studios will be running special events throughout the Festival.
New Season Designers and Unique Collaborations - The Conran Shop Edit
The Conran Shop
Product Launch
Mon-Sat 10am-7pm, Sun 11am-6pm
conranshop.co.uk
The Conran Shop Marylebone, 55 Marylebone High Street, W1U 5HS
Take a journey of discovery through the world of Conran during the London Design Festival. From iconic names in modern design to emerging innovators and ground-breaking collaborations, The Conran Shop will showcase the best of their handpicked curation of global talent via interactive design trails.
Tom Dixon
Pop-Up Shop
11am-7pm, Mon to Sat. 12pm-6pm, Sun.
www.tomdixon.net/uk/multiplex
Old Selfridges Hotel, 1 Orchard Street , London , W1H 6JS
This autumn Tom Dixon presents MULTIPLEX at the Old Selfridges Hotel, an immersive, multi-sensory department store of tomorrow. MULTIPLEX brings together design, technology, fashion, film and interiors to explore how the future of retail might look, sound, smell, taste and feel.
MADE You Look event series by MADE.COM
MADE.COM
Exhibition
Mon-Sat 10am-8pm, Sun 12am-6pm
made.com
100 Charing Cross Road, WC2H 0JG
Visit MADE’s Soho showroom to experience its series of ‘MADE YOU LOOK’ events. See this year’s winning Emerging Talent Award product and experience ‘Sounds Like Home’; an interactive sound installation by Goldsmiths award winning design graduate Haeyoun Kim. For full details visit www.made.com/ldf
19 greek street
Exhibition
Mon-Sat 8am-8pm, Sun 10pm-6pm
19greekstreet.com
How can we change the world?
The Art of Progress is a design-led ethical lifestyle exhibition featuring a café, a curated apartment, a gallery/lecture room and a wellness studio.
With design at its core, 19 greek street will also showcase art, fashion, food and other modern essentials.
Faye Toogood
Installation
Mon-Wed & Sun 10am-6pm, Thu-Sat 10am-9pm
fayetoogood.com
The West Wing Galleries, Somerset House, Strand, WC2R 1LA
The genteel traditions of the English drawing room have been redrafted by designer Faye Toogood. Visitors to the building are invited to relax in an environment that evokes a derelict country house - although in this case the surrounds have been literally drawn in.
nendo
Installation
Mon-Wed & Sun 10am-6pm, Thu-Sat 10am-9pm
nendo.jp/en
The West Wing Galleries, Somerset House, Strand, WC2R 1LA
The latest shelf collection "nest shelf" by nendo. A shelf that from within a second shelf of the same size seemingly grows outward.
FRONT London
Talk / Seminar
Brompton Design District
10.15am – 11.30am
www.frontrugs.com
www.londondesignfestival.com
V&A, Cromwell Road, Lecture Theatre, SW7 2RL
The Slow Movement epitomises a cultural shift of slowing down. Debate why slow design matters with international rug designer Jan Kath; interior designer Daniel Hopwood and Aigars Zelmenis who believes waiting six months for a rug is something to celebrate. The chair is journalist Helen Chislett.
Max Lamb 'My Grandfather's Tree'
Gallery FUMI
Exhibition
Mon-Wed, Sun 10am–6pm Thu-Sat 10am-9pm
www.galleryfumi.com
Somerset House, Strand, London, WC2R 1LA
The Embankment Gallery at Somerset House will be the backdrop to a sizeable installation by British designer Max Lamb, titled My Grandfather’s Tree.
Tiipoi
Talk / Seminar
Brompton Design District
12pm-1pm
www.vam.ac.uk/
The Lydia and Manfred GOrvy Lecture Theatre, V&A, Cromwell Road, SW7 2RL
On Identity: Where is Indian Design today?
A panel of diverse thinkers and practitioners who have crossed paths with India will reflect on the nature of Indian design now. Join Sarah Miller and guest speakers for a lively conversation on how India’s identity is finding it’s form through design.
The convergence of Art, Design and Technology.
Ross Lovegrove with KEF
Installation
Mon-Wed & Sun 10am-6pm, Thu-Sat 10am-9pm
kef.com
rosslovegrove.com
Somerset House, Strand, London, WC2R 1LA
The installation features 100 unique anodised MUO wireless speakers by Ross Lovegrove for KEF, finished by Neal Feay Studio. These special edition MUOs will showcase the convergence of Art, Design and Technology, relating the story back to the original MUONs, still regarded as an industry standard.
Designing for today’s digital world
MADE.COM
Talk / Seminar
2.45 - 3.45pm
made.com
www.vam.ac.uk
The Lydia and Manfred Gorvy Lecture Theatre, Victoria and Albert Museum, London, SW7 2RL
Panel discussion on the way digital technologies are transforming mainstream design, both in creation and consumption. Chaired by Michelle Ogundehin, Editor in Chief of ELLE Decoration UK, with Ruth Wassermann, head of design at MADE.COM plus very special guests.
Masterclass with Erwan and Rowan Bouroullec
Global Design Forum
Talk / Seminar
Brompton Design District
4 - 5.30pm
vam.ac.uk
Victoria and Albert Museum, Cromwell Road, SW7 2RL
This year, French designers Erwan and Ronan Bouroullec exhibit a new innovative concept for modern living designed for Samsung at Somerset House. They will talk about this project, their methodology and 20-year career designing for Vitra, Magis, Kvadrat, Flos and Cappellini, amongst others.
Global Design Forum
Talk / Seminar
Brompton Design District
4 - 5.30pm
vam.ac.uk
The Lydia and Manfred Gorvy Lecture Theatre Level 4
Victoria and Albert Museum, Cromwell Road, SW7 2RL
Named a Top 25 Visionary by TIME Magazine, Yves Béhar will discuss how new technology acts as a catalyst to evolve design faster than ever before, transforming the role and the responsibility of the designer.
In conversation with Alice Rawsthorn.
Global Design Forum
Talk / Seminar
Brompton Design District
4 - 5.30pm
vam.ac.uk
Victoria and Albert Museum, Cromwell Road, SW7 2RL
Tom Dixon (OBE), an internationally renowned British Designer, Creative Director of eponymous brand Tom Dixon and founder of Design Research Studio, will discuss the importance of the changing landscape of industrial manufacture to design.
In conversation with Max Fraser.
Viaduct
Installation
Clerkenwell Design Quarter
9.30am - 6pm, Mon to Fri 10.30am - 4pm, Sat
www.viaduct.co.uk
www.apparatu.com
1-10 Summers Street, London , EC1R 5BD
Viaduct and Apparatu present the studio's first UK event with a unique live ceramic installation. Continuing with our White on White theme, come visit our showroom to see them turn by hand their beautiful Joan Basics Table Set and showcase a new table and stool set exclusively for Viaduct.
Design Council
Exhibition
Friday (11am-6pm)
www.designcouncil.org.uk/events/d...
Makerversity - Somerset House, New Wing, Lancaster Place, WC2R 1LA
Join us at Makerversity in Somerset House to meet the Design Council Spark finalists.
Rethinking the Material: Kim Thomé in Conversation
London Design Festival
Talk / Seminar
Brompton Design District
4.30pm-5.30pm
vam.ac.uk
Victoria and Albert Museum, Cromwell Road, SW7 2RL
Swarovski Designers of the Future Studio Swine and Kim Thomé, designer of Zotem, talk to Suzanne Trocmé about selection, the commissioning process and materiality when challenged with creating innovative and memorable designs in crystal.
Fixperts & Benchmark
Talk / Seminar
Brompton Design District
1.30pm-2.30pm
vam.ac.uk
Victoria and Albert Museum, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 2RL
Fixing Attitudes: Is it too late or are we just in time to change attitudes towards making and fixing? This panel will discuss a number of reactions and initiatives which are encouraging DIY making, repair, and resilience.