London Design Festival 2021: A Guide
Whether you've heard of the London Design Festival 2021 or not, it's a must activity this weekend! This zero-waste design event celebrates and promotes London as the design capital of the world.
It's been a busy week with London Fashion Week drawing to a close, the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2021 (read our latest blog post about it here) in full swing, and now the London Design Festival 2021 has hit the town- this year it's focused on biophilic design that aims to reconnect spaces with nature. We're excited to see the exhibitions and installations, talks and a presentation featuring 30 recent design graduates who will offer solutions for how we can lead greener lifestyles.
Planning an itinerary can feel like a near impossible task, but we are here to help. We've selected the must-sees for your weekend of design and creativity, read on to find out more-
Yinka Ilori is bringing London together
The London Design Festival 2020's Emerging Design medal winner Yinka Ilori has transformed various pedestrian crossings in Camden and the City of Lindon in outdoor works of art, with his signature kaleidoscopic designs. The aim of the project is to improve safety, revitalise public spaces and engage local communities.
Location: Crossings around London, including 231 Tottenham Court Rd, London, W1T 7QF
Henry Holland - Floor Story
If you are after an interior trip to another sphere, we recommend you step inside the psychedelic showroom of Henry Hollands. With smiley faces, acid brights and dripping patterns, it's impossible to miss the 80's and 90's rave culture reference in Holland's tantalising new collection of rugs for Floor Story.
Location: Shoreditch Design Triangle trail (20-26 September)
Sou Fujimoto and Tin Drum - Medusa
This is a groundbreaking visualisation of architecture and mixed-reality technology. Japanese architect Sou Fujimoto and production studio and technology developer Tin Drum have created this project examining structure, nature and visualisations. Creating an almost living design, a succession of natural and architectural features will slowly morph and evolve based on the movement of the audience, who will wear mixed-reality glasses. This project aims to illustrate the links between modern life, designed space and climate change.
Location: Inside the Raphael Court, V&A Museum (Ticket is Required)
Local Heroes - The Future of Home
To commemorate Scotland's contemporary design scene, The Future of Home has been created by a collection of designers from 15 emerging studios and brands that embody Scotlands dynamic design culture. This innovative show asks how designers can best serve the flexible 'hybrid home', where boundaries are blurred and spaces have to work harder than ever.
Location: Brompton Design District, 6-7 Thurloe Place, SW7 2RX
Mamou-Mani - Mellifera: The Dancing Bee Hives
In celebration of the beehives on the rooftop of Fortnum & Mason at Piccadilly, and to bring pollinators and nature back to our cities, French architect Arthur Mamou-Mani has created an installation of swirling- 3D printed beehives- that you will find dancing through the Fortnum & Mason atrium. Highlighting the need for rewilding our urban spaces, the 3D printed modules are made of bioplastics and will showcase advances in material innovation and technology.
Location: Fortnum & Mason, 181 Piccadilly, St. James's, London W1A 1ER
Yuri Suzuki - Sonic Bloom
In the middle of Mayfair's Brown Hart Gardens, you'll find trumpet tentacles that look like something out of Willy Wonka. This multi-sensory sculpture is the wonderful work of sound artists and designer Yuri Suzuki (in conjunction with curator AlterProjects) and is intended to foster post-lockdown moments of connection. This installation absorbs the sounds of the environment and invites visitors to record their voices via its stems- creating a sound tract to the city that can be listened to through its oversized horns
Location: Brown Hart Gardens, W1K 6WP (until August 2022)
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If you are interested in looking into all the other wonderful projects and installations across London, be sure to check out the London Design Festival HERE for more info.