Framing LDF 2026, Courtesy Pentagram & London Design Festival
London Design Festival's 24th edition will take place from 12 - 20th September 2026, marking a defining moment for UK design, and a cornerstone of the global cultural calendar.
Across the city, the event will showcase Landmark Installations, Special Projects, the Global Design Forum, the London Design Medals, Fairs and a Partner Programme across eleven Design Districts.
London Design Festival continues to champion both emerging and established talent, fostering collaboration and innovation across the international design community.
Across installations and exhibitions, from The Pangolin Shield’s reflection on colonial legacies and movement, to cross-cultural craft projects spanning China, Japan and the UK amongst others, and immersive visions of AI-driven and technologically mediated futures, a key theme is the recontextualisation of tradition within contemporary global narratives.
This year places an emphasis on dialogue - between East and West, past and future, human and non-human, physical and digital. This dialogue often foregrounds sustainability, circularity and reflection, positioning London not just as a showcase of design innovation but a platform for critical global conversations.
“London Design Festival 2026 is proving to be an exceptional year with a vibrant array of international installations and projects, new design districts, and an expanding Global Design Forum following the success of Global Design Forum Istanbul in May," comments Ben Evans CBE, London Design Festival Director and Co-Founder.
"London retains its allure as a global design capital engaging with expanding audiences, partners across the economy, and a high profile made by the layers of design stories that the Festival is home to.”
The Festival's diverse programming will showcase key installations across the city, in cultural hubs such as the Barbican, the V&A, the Strand Aldwych, Somerset House and Wapping. Internationally acclaimed designers are invited to create ambitious works of art in some of London’s most iconic public spaces, showcasing design's ability to inspire, provoke and connect audiences.
GLOBAL DESIGN FORUM
The Global Design Forum (GDF) is a curated thought leadership programme, celebrating design and the minds shaping its future. Following the successful launch of the Global Design Forum Istanbul earlier this year in May, in collaboration with People Places Ideas, the forum will be returning to the V&A South Kensington for LDF. Across three days at the V&A, from 12-14th September, design will be inspected, explored and unpacked through the words and works of diverse practitioners in design and beyond.
This year, the Global Design Forum is excited to be partnering with two esteemed Programme Partners: Sun Media Group and Bowmore. Sun Media Group is one of China’s leading private media companies, distinguished for high-quality content and integrated marketing capabilities across media, education and location-based entertainment. The company is a pioneer in AI-powered platforms for music, art and design, leads in women’s empowerment education, and champions the cultural exchanges between China and the world.
DESIGN DISTRICTS
London Design Festival will take place across 11 Design Districts that highlight creative clusters spanning London. This year’s edition sees the reveal of a new district in the heart of the city and the evolution of the Shoreditch design offerings. The eleven districts for the 2026 Festival are: Bankside, Brompton, Chelsea, Dalston to Stokey, EC1, Fleet Street Quarter, Mayfair, Park Royal, Shoreditch Design Week, Blackhorse Creates formerly known as William Morris Design Line and the new edition of a Soho district.
Image © Studio Saar
The Pangolin Shield by Studio Saar and Atelier One, supported by Secure
The Pangolin Shield is the first Landmark Project to be announced by LDF. The pavilion in the heart of the city encourages visitors to reflect and examine the relationship between context, innovation and craft. The work explores colonial legacies, power, ecological exploitation, and the movement of people and beings across borders.
Embodying the dualities of vulnerability and protection, East and West, displacement and acceptance, The Pangolin Shield by Studio Saar and Atelier One, supported by Secure, will be located on the Strand Aldwych during the London Design Festival. The installation is inspired by the pangolin, the world's most trafficked mammal, whose scales cover its body from head to tail.
The Pangolin Shield consists of a bamboo grid shell covered with traditional Indian police shields made from lathis, and woven rain shields or ‘knups’ traditionally used by farmers in north-eastern India.
Image © Felix Speller
MADE x Barbican
MADE will be unveiling a collaboration with the Barbican, launching an interiors collection that brings one of Britain’s most iconic architectural estates into the heart of the contemporary home. To celebrate, they have created an immersive installation in the iconic institution for the London Design Festival, one which delves into the archives of Barbican interiors and the design inspiration behind the MADE x Barbican collection.
Rooted in design history, yet focused on modern living, the MADE x Barbican collection reinterprets the interiors and features of the Barbican Estate for today’s lifestyles. Drawing on archival research, original layouts and the pioneering work of designer Miriam Howitt, the 23-piece collection transforms architectural references into a range of furniture, lighting, textiles and accessories. The MADE x Barbican collection will be available to shop at MADE.COM from August 2026.
Reviving Craft: Reflection of the Mind, by Sun Media Group
Sun Media Group will present Reviving Craft: Reflection of the Mind, an exhibition bringing together local and international artisans and designers to explore new possibilities for traditional craftsmanship within contemporary lifestyles and a global context. The exhibition has been curated by Su Dan, Deputy Director of the Chinese Traditional Culture Museum (CTCM), Professor at the Academy of Arts & Design, Tsinghua University, and Yang Lan, Chairperson of Sun Media Group.
Craft x Tech Tokai Project Craft x Tech
Craft x Tech Tokai Project Craft x Tech will return to the London Design Festival this September for its second edition. Founded by designer and engineer Dr Hideki Yoshimoto of design studio Tangent, with curatorial direction by Italian independent curator Maria Cristina Didero, Craft x Tech pairs international designers and artists with local Japanese craftspeople from the Tokai region to produce new creative works.
MixZ: Future Living with Shenzhen Style™
MixZ: Future Living with Shenzhen Style™ at the Old Selfridges Hotel MixZ is an international cultural platform connecting Asia and the UK through design, creativity and innovation. It will be brought to life through the upcoming MixZ Culture and Brand Innovation Center, a landmark, half-million-square-foot cultural destination in London. MixZ brings together and collaborates with leading creative talents, cultural institutions and brands, to showcase its MixZ Methodology and how cultural heritage, immersive experiences, collaboration and AI can elevate creative possibilities and future living.
