London Design Festival 2026: the exhibitions, installations and talks not to miss
What does design look like when centuries-old craft meets artificial intelligence, when Brutalist architecture becomes a source for new furniture, or when a former power station is transformed through sound?
These are some of the questions explored at London Design Festival 2026, which returns from 12–20 September for its 24th edition. The festival takes place across London through a mix of Landmark Installations, Special Projects, exhibitions, talks and design fairs. These events are spread across 11 Design Districts, including Bankside, Chelsea, Mayfair, Shoreditch and the newly introduced Soho district, as well as museums, galleries, studios and other spaces across the capital.
London Design Festival 2026, Courtesy Pentagram & London Design Festival.
The programme looks at the relationship between new technologies and traditional making, with projects ranging from sound installations at Wapping Hydraulic Power Station and new approaches to brick at the Building Centre to contemporary responses to historic interiors at Ham House, alongside a wider focus on sustainability, new materials, cultural exchange and the revival of craft. Here are the exhibitions, installations and talks worth putting on your London Design Festival 2026 itinerary.
Exhibitions
Celebrating 10 years of disability innovation
The Global Disability Innovation Hub (GDI Hub) will celebrate 10 years of disability innovation with an exhibition, talks, product showcases and a community reception. Established as a legacy of the London 2012 Paralympic Games, the UCL-based centre now works across more than 70 countries, advancing research and practice in disability innovation. The event will showcase developments in assistive technology, inclusive design, AI, accessible cities, climate and inclusive economies, with projects ranging from wearable navigation aids and affordable prosthetics to accessible lab coats, AI-powered sign language and innovative wheelchairs. Talks will explore Cities & Climate, Innovation & Assistive Technology, and Community, Culture & Economies of Inclusion, followed by an informal panel and networking reception. The programme will highlight how disability-led innovation can shape more inclusive products, spaces and systems.
Date: 14 September 2026. Time: 15:00–20:30. Location: Sadler’s Wells East, Stratford Walk, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London E20 2AR. Price: Free, ticket required. Discover more
Image credit Global Disability Innovation (GDI) Hub
Becoming Architecture: From Line to Form
Interiors with Art will present an installation exploring the journey of an architectural idea from its first drawn line to a fully realised interior. A single column will evolve across three window sections, beginning as a wireframe drawing, transitioning into a fragmented construction phase with scaffolding and machinery, and ending as a completed interior where materials, light and atmosphere will create a fully realised space. Developed in collaboration with Ideaworks, programmed lighting will reinforce this transformation, shifting from cool, precise tones to warmer, more atmospheric light as the structure evolves.
Date: 12–20 September 2026. Time: All day. Location: Ideaworks London Experience Centre, 206 Great Portland Street, London W1W 5QJ. Price: Free. Discover more.
Becoming Architecture: From Line to Form, Ideaworks London. 12 - 20 September 2026.
Atterbury Flat: A Living, Live-in Archive
Chelsea College of Arts, UAL, will transform a two-bedroom flat into an evolving showcase of student and alumni creativity, with more than 400 contributors creating over 100 objects and artworks for the space. Highlights will include 3D-printed botanical lamps, thermochromic furniture, bespoke wallpaper, a coffee table made from 3,000 sheets of paper and a giant pencil sculpture. Led by Creative Director Zoë Tynan-Campbell, the project will reimagine the flat as a living archive rather than a traditional exhibition, exploring how creative work, memories and everyday objects can be collected, preserved and experienced within a domestic setting.
Date: 12–20 September 2026. Location: Atterbury Flat, Chelsea College of Arts, 16 John Islip Street, London SW1P 4JU. Price: Free. Discover more.
The Atterbury Flat, Living Room’, Chelsea College of Arts, UAL Photograph Tom Morgan and Zac Gates
Manufactory at Park Royal Design District
Manufactory will be a new interdisciplinary festival taking place across Park Royal during the opening weekend of London Design Festival. Opening up factories, workshops, warehouses and studios rarely accessible to the public, the festival will feature exhibitions, installations, performances, talks, workshops, music and food, celebrating Park Royal’s 400-plus artists, designers, architects, musicians and makers alongside manufacturers, engineers and logistics businesses. Curated by Mazzy-Mae Green, the festival will explore the relationship between contemporary art, industrial production and the built environment.
Date: 11–12 September 2026. Location: Across Park Royal, London. Price: Varies by event. Discover more.
Linn Phyllis Seeger, true idle Longer windows of opportunity, 2026. Car radiator, hood, wheel, screen, bungee straps, extension lead, F-clamps, video loop with sound (3 min 55 sec)
The Art of Sound featuring Max Cooper & Chris Watson
The Art of Sound is a platform created by L-Acoustics, a professional audio company exploring how sound can shape the way we experience spaces and environments. For London Design Festival, it will present spatial sound installations at the historic Wapping Hydraulic Power Station, hosted by the Glass Castle Foundation. Max Cooper’s Feeling Is Structure will transform a musical composition into a 20-minute experience exploring the connections between sound, physical form, architecture and emotion, while Chris Watson’s Trent Falls will take listeners on a sonic journey along the Humber estuary, combining natural sounds with the industrial and urban sounds of the surrounding landscape. Additional works by Hollie Buhagiar and Helen Lyon will feature throughout the programme. Built in 1890 and closed to the public for 13 years, Wapping Hydraulic Power Station will provide the setting for the works, marking its return to public cultural programming.
Date: 11–15 September 2026. Time: 11 Sept 10:00–16:00; 12–15 Sept 10:15–17:30. Location: Wapping Hydraulic Power Station, Wapping Wall, London E1W 3SF. Price: Free, ticket required. Book now
Max Cooper, spatial AV artist. Image: Ella Mitchell
V&A x London Design Festival: Awakenings
The V&A will once again become a major destination for London Design Festival 2026, with Awakenings bringing a series of installations and interventions across the museum. Alongside works by designers including Playfool, Aziza Kadyri, Nina Davies and Eunjo Lee, the programme will feature the Global Design Forum from 12–14 September, a three-day programme of keynotes, conversations and panels guest-curated by Rhiarna Dhaliwal around the theme Worlds in Motion, with speakers including Es Devlin, Liam Young and Natalie Melton. Other highlights will include the Craft x Tech Tokai Project, which pairs Japanese craftspeople with international designers, as well as Digital Design Weekend and Friday Late: Awakenings, featuring talks, workshops, performances and music.
Date: 12 September–18 October 2026. Location: V&A South Kensington, Cromwell Road, London SW7 2RL. Price: Free. Discover more.
When the Void Gazes Back (digital render, 2026), Eunjo Lee
MADE × Barbican
MADE will collaborate with the Barbican to present a new collection of furniture, lighting, textiles and accessories inspired by the building’s Brutalist architecture and original interiors. Drawing on archival research and the work of designer Miriam Howitt, MADE will reinterpret the Barbican’s original show flats through contemporary designs, using bold colours, textures and materials influenced by the building’s 1960s aesthetic. The collection will be displayed in the Level G Hub Space at the Barbican Centre, alongside the architectural and historical references that shaped the designs, showing how the Barbican’s approach to modern living can be adapted for contemporary homes.
Click here to discover select items available on the Barbican website.
Date: 12–20 September 2026. Location: Barbican Centre, Level G Hub Space, Silk Street, London EC2Y 8DS. Discover more.
MADE × Barbican collection © Felix Speller
Camille Walala at Sketch
French artist and designer Camille Walala will transform the entrance of sketch, the iconic Mayfair restaurant and design destination, with a large-scale installation created in collaboration with GREY GOOSE®. Inspired by architecture and everyday urban details, the design will turn the entrance into an abstract cityscape using bold geometric shapes, warm reds and purples, and 1970s-inspired gradients, while incorporating vintage Groovy chairs by Pierre Paulin. The installation is part of sketch’s ongoing programme of contemporary art collaborations and will open during London Design Festival, continuing through Frieze Week.
Date: 12–20 September 2026. Time: 9am–11:59pm; 14–18 September from 8am–11:59pm. Location: sketch, 9 Conduit Street, London, W1S 2XG. Discover more.
sketch, 9 Conduit Street, Mayfair, London. Image credit Lucas Amillano Pujal
Six Faces of a Brick
Six Faces of a Brick by ili architects × SANAN Studio explores how the value of building materials can change depending on how they are viewed and used. Focusing on the humble brick, the exhibition examines what happens to materials when buildings are demolished and how recycling systems often reduce them to costs, codes or carbon figures. Through research into circular material systems and the work of four international design studios, the exhibition looks at ways materials can be salvaged and reused without losing their value, or even gaining new value through craft, memory and design. The exhibition itself uses reclaimed materials within its display structures, demonstrating the ideas it explores.
Date: 12–16 September 2026. Location: Building Centre, 26 Store Street, London WC1E 7BT. Price: Free.Discover more.
Original London Brick
Art Explora Mobile Museum: an exhibition of design proposals for a new UK mobile museum
Art Explora UK’s first dedicated Mobile Museum will take national art collections on tour across the UK, with a focus on reaching communities that have limited access to cultural institutions. Seven leading design practices were invited to develop proposals for the travelling museum, with Ab Rogers Design selected for its concept, which combines the excitement of a circus with practical considerations for displaying artworks and creating an engaging visitor experience. Visitors can explore the shortlisted designs and see how architecture and design can create a flexible museum that brings art and culture directly to different communities.
Date: 15–20 September 2026. Location: Arup, 8 Fitzroy Street, London W1T 4BJ. Discover more.
Design for Art Explora Mobile Museum - open, Ab Rogers Design
Past Made Present
Past Made Present takes over Ham House and Garden, placing contemporary design inside one of Britain’s most remarkable seventeenth-century houses. Created by emerging designers from Kingston University’s MA Product & Furniture Design programme, in collaboration with the National Trust and The Storybox Collective, the project introduces new furniture, materials, objects and speculative interventions throughout the historic interiors and gardens. Expect an unexpected conversation between old and new, as contemporary designers respond to the house’s rich history through playful, experimental and thought-provoking work.
Date: 12–20 September 2026. Location: Ham House and Garden, Ham Street, London TW10 7RS. Price: from £18. Book now.
Past Made Present: Elizabeth Murray Double Queens, Spring Cheng
The Curious Matter of Chocolate
The Curious Matter of Chocolate will be an experimental design exhibition by The Design School at Arizona State University, in collaboration with Cadbury/Mondelēz International, exploring how a familiar product like chocolate can be reimagined through product design, packaging, graphic communication and user experience. The exhibition will showcase creative work developed by Gen Z student designers, including prototypes, packaging concepts, visual narratives, storyboards and speculative ideas that will explore new relationships between chocolate, people and experiences. Each day at 5pm, visitors will also be able to attend “Tea with the Devils”, an informal discussion that will bring together designers, academics, industry professionals and students to discuss creativity, innovation and design practice.
Date: 15–18 September 2026. Time: 9am–6pm. Location: Northampton Square Pavilion, Northampton Square, University Building Main Entrance, London, EC1V 0HB. Price: Free to attend, although a ticket is required. Discover more.
The Curious Matter of Chocolate, an experimental design exhibition by The Design School at Arizona State University, 15–18 September 2026.
Gallery FUMI x Royal College of Art
Gallery FUMI, in collaboration with the Royal College of Art, presents After School, an exhibition showcasing new work by recent graduates and alumni across textiles, ceramics and design. Featuring Caden Hao, Andreas Larsson, Manxin Li, Jocelyn Mastroianni, Lucy Pennell, Ryan Tepper and Shannon Swinburn, the exhibition focuses on process and craftsmanship, with each artist and designer offering a distinct approach to making and considering what an object can do and mean. Rather than following a single theme, the exhibition reflects the individual practices and perspectives of the artists and designers involved.
Date: 12–26 September 2026. Location: Gallery FUMI, 2–3 Hay Hill, London, W1J 6AS. Price: Free, no ticket required. Discover more.
Manxin Li. Images courtesy the artists.
Talks
Studio Saar x Atelier One — Craft & Technology, Natural Allies
Ananya Singhal of Studio Saar and Professor Neil Thomas of Atelier One, joined by writer and curator Amy Frearson, will explore the ideas behind The Pangolin Shield, a Landmark Project at the London Design Festival. The pavilion repurposes traditional Indian police shields and woven rain shields known as “knups”, combining them with a bamboo structural grid to create a welcoming space that brings traditional craft and contemporary technology together. Inspired by the pangolin’s protective scales and vulnerability to human exploitation, the conversation will consider how designers can re-contextualise everyday objects while addressing colonialism, power, ecological exploitation and the movement of people and species across borders. The evening begins with a private tour of The Pangolin Shield, followed by drinks and a conversation at the ME Hotel.
Date: 16 September 2026. Time: 5pm - 7pm. Location: St Mary Le Strand, Strand Aldwych, London WC2R 1ES, followed by drinks at the ME Hotel. Price: Free, ticket required. Book now.
Segment of The Pangolin Shield drawing.
Civic Futures
Civic Futures will be a panel discussion exploring how design can create spaces that encourage people to gather, participate and shape the places they live in. The discussion will consider how shared spaces, collective experiences and community-focused design can foster belonging and connection as cities and societies become increasingly fragmented. Speakers will include Marina Blake, Creative Director, Curator and Producer; Sahra Hesri, Artist and Spatial Designer; Mykola Kabluka, Artist and Lighting Designer and Founder and Art Director of Expolight; Francesca Perry, Journalist and Editor; and Larry Botchway, Architect and Co-Founder of POoR Collective.
Date: 14 September 2026. Time: 12:35–1:20pm. Location: Victoria & Albert Museum, Lydia and Manfred Gorvy Lecture Theatre, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 2RL. Price: Free, ticket required. Book now.
Project by Marina Blake, Photo: Jerome Toole
Lighting the Elizabeth Line: Design Beneath The City
Behind the lighting of one of London’s newest railway lines, Future Designs will share the story of its work on the Elizabeth Line and Crossrail, focusing on the bespoke LED systems developed for Tottenham Court Road station. The talk will explore the creation of two pioneering luminaires, IKON and PLINTH, which were engineered specifically for the technical and safety requirements of the underground network, including extensive thermal testing and load testing. It will also examine how the station’s light-grey, matt-textured glass-reinforced concrete was used to reflect light and create a sense of spaciousness, rather than drawing attention to the fittings themselves, offering an insight into how lighting design can shape the experience and identity of public infrastructure.
Date: 15 September 2026. Time: 10–11am. Location: Soho Lighthouse, 21 Great Chapel Street, Soho, London, W1F 8FP. Price: Free, ticket required. Book now.
Future Designs will share the story of its work on the Elizabeth Line and Crossrail,15 September 2026.
The Architecture Of Belonging: Unbuilt
The Architecture of Belonging: Unbuilt will be the second session of a two-part public event series curated by STIR for ROCA London Gallery, exploring how architecture can shape and redefine our sense of belonging. The session will focus on the idea of the “unbuilt city”, the cities and futures that have not been imagined or created for certain people, and will consider what happens when belonging is treated as a right and a design brief. Four speakers will present different perspectives on this idea: architect and artist Elsie Owusu OBE RA will consider who the city is designed for; Torange Khonsari, co-founder and director of Public Works, will explore land ownership and the civic commons; JJ Cliff, director of Studio Weave, will look at belonging through everyday spaces and human needs; and multidisciplinary artist and poet Rhael ‘LionHeart’ Cape will explore the experience of belonging through the body, sound and poetry.
Date: 16 September 2026. Time: 6:30–9pm. Location: ROCA London Gallery, Station Court, Townmead Road, London, SW6 2PY. Price: Free, ticket required. Book now.
Ambie Drew, Soft Bodies Cold Machines exhibition 2026, arebyte Digital Art Centre Photo: Max Colson
Shared Intelligence
Shared Intelligence will address the changing role of designers as technology becomes increasingly embedded in everyday life. The panel discussion will include speakers Pita Arreola, Head of Programmes at Arebyte Digital Art Centre; Betty Zhiqin Lu, Senior Designer at Field.io; Harry Kumar, Founder and Chief Creative Officer of Moth; Tobias Revell, Associate Director at Arup; and artist Sam Ghantous.
Date: 12 September 2026. Time: 12:20–1:10pm. Location: Victoria & Albert Museum, Lydia and Manfred Gorvy Lecture Theatre, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 2RL. Book now.
The Trust Stack: Data, Decisions and Human Confidence in the Age of AI
The Trust Stack, a panel discussion hosted by Tech, No?, will examine how trust in AI can be designed and built as AI becomes increasingly embedded in everyday work and decision-making. The discussion will look at how data, product design and organisational practices can make AI systems more transparent, accountable and easier for people to understand, scrutinise and question. Speakers will include Jose Carlos Alatrista, former Head of People Science at Barclays and an AI adoption adviser; Sam Netherwood, Design Lead at OpenAI Deployment Company; Pete Kowalczyk, AI Design Consultant at GOV.UK AI Studio; and Gemma Lord, Director at Projects by IF and former IDEO. Yiner Zhou, Agent Insight and Design Lead at Barclays, will host the panel, with Xiaoyu Wu, Co-Founder of ANSOR AI and former Innovation Designer at Bentley Motors, co-hosting.
Date: 15 September 2026. Time: 6–9pm. Location: Barclays Eagle Labs, 41 Luke Street, London, EC2A 4DP. Price: Free, by appointment only. Book now.
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