London Design Festival returns for its 19th edition this September with a programme of online and offline events including installations and exhibitions from top and emerging artists, designers and architects across the UK capital.
Dates
London Design Festival (LDF) takes place across London from 18 to 26 September 2021.
Design Districts
There are ten design districts participating in LDF this year, which feature a variety of different events throughout the week all within walking distance of each other:
Brompton Design District
Brompton Design District is the London Design Festival's oldest design district and returns to LDF with the theme From Here Onwards, which aims to showcase emerging voices in the design industry as we grapple with the "post-normal" world after the coronavirus pandemic.
18 to 26 September.
bromptondesigndistrict.com
Clerkenwell Design Quarter
Clerkenwell Design Quarter brings together a number of events in the many showrooms and studios that the postcode is globally renowned for. Highlights include a collection of marble sculptures by leading architecture firms and an exhibition that explores what the future of public spaces might look like.
18 to 26 September.
londondesignfestival.com/clerkenwell-design-quarter
Design District at Greenwich Peninsula
Design District at Greenwich Peninsula is new to LDF this year. Positioned one minute away from North Greenwich Underground station, the district includes 16 buildings designed as permanent offices and rentable workspace by architects including 6a Architects and Schulze + Grassov.
18 to 26 September.
designdistrict.co.uk
Southwark South Design District
Arranged as a collection of events that are just a short walking distance from each other, the Southwark South Design District joins LDF’s roster of districts for 2021. The route of activities celebrates the scope of creative talent in South East London, following on from the success of last year’s Peckham Design Trail.
18 to 26 September.
southwarksouth.com
Islington Design District
Centred around the themes of Discovery and Reconnection, Islington Design District includes a number of installations and design pop-ups from creatives including Sam Jacob Studio and Dominic McKenzie Architects.
18 to 26 September.
islingtondesigndistrict.co.uk
King's Cross Design District
The King’s Cross area became a LDF design route in 2018, after which it evolved into a district the year after. The location is home to various creative London landmarks such as the Central Saint Martins art school. Mainly taking place at Coal Drops Yard, this year, the district features various returning projects including Planted, a nature-focussed forum, and a reusable light installation.
18 to 26 September.
kingscross.co.uk/event/london-design-festival-2021
Mayfair Design District
Hailed as the leading global destination for collectible and contemporary design, Mayfair Design District was established in 2017 with the view to celebrate the area’s galleries, auction houses and other cultural destinations. This year, the district hosts work from creatives including Max Lamb, Camille Walala and Cameron Design House.
18 to 26 September.
mayfairdesigndistrict.com
Park Royal Design
Park Royal Design District encompasses a community of creatives in West London’s Park Royal area. This year, the district hosts a three-day programme featuring open studios and workshops, as well as pop-up shops, walking tours and various performances.
24 to 26 September.
parkroyaldesigndistrict.com
Shoreditch Design Triangle
The Shoreditch Design Triangle celebrates the creativity of East London. From product launches and exhibitions to installations, workshops and tours, the event brings together a diverse range of experiences that reflect the turbulence and unpredictability of the past year.
18 to 26 September.
shoreditchdesigntriangle.com
William Morris Design Line
Named after British textile designer William Morris, the William Morris Design Line is a community-focussed design route in Walthamstow that begins at Wood Street and ends at Blackhorse Road. The Design Line returns to LDF for its second year with various workshops and talks informed by Morris’ intent that art should be made for the people, by the people.
wmdesignline.com
Selected events:
Adorno London: Designing Futures
Adorno London returns to LDF as its leading virtual design destination. This year, Adorno presents projects by both independent designers and studios under the theme Designing Futures through both digital content and physical exhibitions. Collectible design and functional art will feature from various countries including Austria, Estonia and Netherlands.
18 to 26 September 2021 online and at various locations in London.
adorno.design/shows/adorno-london-2021
All Our Working Lives
Sheridan Coakley Products (SCP) furniture store presents its 2021 collection by eight designers, including an armchair by Ilse Crawford and Oscar Peña. 13 products designed in collaboration with Japanese brand Ishinomaki Laboratory also feature.
18 to 26 September 2021 at SCP, 135 Curtain Rd, London EC2A 3BX.
www.scp.co.uk
Back and Forth
Back and Forth is an exhibition of 25 designs that have shaped design retailer Twentytwentyone over its last 25 years.
20 to 26 September at Twentytwentyone, 18C River Street, London EC1R 1XN.
twentytwentyone.com/blogs/exhibitions
Design London trade show
The Design London trade show makes its debut at the 2021 edition of LDF. It showcases a selection of furniture, lighting and interior brands along with collaborations with emerging and established designers.
22 to 25 September 2021 at Magazine London, 11 Ordnance Crescent, Greenwich Peninsula, London SE10 0JH.
designlondon.co.uk
Global Design Forum
Global Design Forum offers a series of lectures, guided tours and workshops exploring the future of design.
18 to 26 September, online.
globaldesignforum.com
Planted
Planted is an event that aims to reconnect people and spaces with nature that launched in 2020. This year, Planted returns to LDF based around the principles of biophilic design, bringing together a talks programme, various installations and plant-based products, with a focus on sustainable design brands who are dedicated to preserving nature.
23 to 26 September 2021 at Coal Drops Yard, King’s Cross, London N1C 4DQ.
www.planted-cities.co.uk
Tactile Baltics
A collaboration between design organisations in Baltic countries, Tactile Baltics promotes the design scenes of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania in London. It showcases 36 contemporary design projects – 12 from each country – including furniture, lighting, textiles, tableware and jewellery.
18 September to 3 October at Dray Walk Gallery, Dray Walk, London E1 6QL.
www.tactilebaltics.com
V&A exhibitions and installations
The V&A museum hosts projects, installations and exhibitions by designers that look at design and its relation to climate change, showcasing projects that explore a low-carbon future, the circular economy and climate justice. Installations include a collaboration between mixed reality studio Tin Drum and Japanese architect Sou Fujimoto, who will premiere an installation called Medusa: Architecture + Reality.
18 to 26 September 2021 at Cromwell Rd, London SW7 2RL.
vam.ac.uk/festival/2021/london-design-festival-2021
London Design Festival 2021 takes place from 18 to 26 September 2021 at various locations across London, England.