London Lights Up with Design

From 13 to 21 September 2025, the London Design Festival turns the city into a global creative laboratory

The London Design Festival 2025 marks its 23rd edition with a program that reaffirms London as the global capital of design. This year’s theme highlights the transformative power of design in addressing today’s most urgent challenges, supported by the Mayor of London. From large-scale public installations that reframe the city’s history to experimental materials shaping a more sustainable future, the Festival demonstrates how contemporary design can bridge creativity and responsibility.

Institutions at the forefront

The V&A Museum once again becomes the heart of the Festival, hosting site-specific installations and exhibitions that explore the relationship between design, society, and the future. The Design Museum enriches the program with major shows: Blitz: The Club that Shaped the 80s retraces London’s culture through fashion and design, while More Than Human investigates the interaction between artificial intelligence and creativity. A key new addition will be Space House, home to Material Matters, a platform dedicated to research on innovative and sustainable materials.

Landmark Projects: immersive experiences

The Landmark Projects represent the spectacular core of the Festival, transforming the city into an open-air museum.

• With What Nelson Sees, Paul Cocksedge invites the public to view London through Nelson’s perspective from the iconic Trafalgar Square column. The installation blends historical memory with a contemporary vision, offering unprecedented glimpses of the city.
• Lee Broom’s Beacon, on the other hand, celebrates light as a symbol of connection and innovation. Made with recycled glass and produced by Brokis and Materials Assemble, the project reinterprets classic street lamps in a monumental and sustainable way, accessible to all visitors.

Design Districts and Design Fairs

London’s creative map unfolds across ten Design Districts, each with its own identity. From the experimental character of the Shoreditch Design Triangle to the international flair of the Mayfair Design District, and on to Brompton and Chelsea, the neighborhoods come alive with exhibitions, talks, installations, and special openings.

The Design Fairs complete the offering, creating moments of commercial and cultural exchange. Among the most anticipated events are Material Matters and Design London Shoreditch, focusing on workplace design, sustainability, new technologies, and global visual cultures.

Global Design Forum and awards

The Global Design Forum brings together influential voices from around the world: designers, entrepreneurs, and academics engage in discussions on accessibility, inclusion, and ecological transition, with a focus on the next generations. The 2025 London Design Medals will honor both established and emerging figures who have helped redefine the international design landscape, reinforcing the Festival as a platform of excellence and recognition.

Visual identity and innovation

Since 2007, the Festival has collaborated with Pentagram, which designs the event’s graphic identity. For 2025, the focus is on connection: typographic lines that intertwine community, creativity, and collective progress, a visual language that reflects the inclusive and global spirit of the Festival.

For more details, visit the website here.