London Design Festival

Design takes London by storm this week in a series of dynamic exhibitions, presentations, special events and shows – all part of London Design Festival (LDF). Founded in 2003 by Sir John Sorrell and Ben Evans, the festival has established itself as one of the largest design events in the world. Building on the capital’s inherent thirst for progress and innovation, LDF draws on the city’s international reputation for creativity and promotes it as a haven for established and emerging practitioners from the UK and beyond.

In 2015 the festival hosts over 350 events and installations across a breadth of venues throughout the city of London, from a dedicated programme at the V&A  to a series of exhibitions at Somerset House. Alongside these collaborations, LDF has teamed up with more than 250 partners including 100% Design, Design Junction, Focus/15, as well as a selection of local, regional and international organisations.

Highlights this year include conceptual artist Alex Chinneck’s A Bullet from a Shooting Star, a new commission that distorts our perceptions of a regular electricity pylon and flips it on its head; Zotem by Kim Thomé at the V&A; an exhibition of works by 10 internationally renowned designers at Somerset House; and special presentation Canada House: Design in Canada, which celebrates outstanding achievements by 50 award-winning applied artists and designers from British Columbia.

Additional activities from partner organisations come from cult pattern pioneers PATTERNITY, who host a cross-disciplinary pattern festival featuring patterned projects, installations, workshops, and industry talks, and Viaduct: White on White, an exhibition of Scandinavian design from Studio Vit and MA/U Studio in the Clerkenwell Design Quarter.

Meanwhile, the destinations and districts to keep your eye on this week are: Shoreditch Design Triangle with a collection of designers, stores, galleries, studios, cafés, brands and one-off events; The Queens Park creative community who host a series open studios, live design events, art installations and workshops; Chelsea Design Quarter, London’s centre for interior design; and the brand new Bankside Design District, set to present a series workshops, walks, exhibitions and outdoor installations.

London Design Festival, until 27 September, venues across London.

For more, visit www.londondesignfestival.com.

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Credits
1. Mikal Harrsen & Adam Hall, T.T.A. table, MA/U Studio. Courtesy of Viaduct.