London Design Festival Exhibition Road, London Middlesex England

When is it?

18-9-2010 — 26-9-2010

First staged in 2003, the London Design Festival is one of the world's most important annual design events. The nine-day Festival programme is made up of over 200 events and exhibitions staged by around 160 contributing - or 'partner' - organisations across the design spectrum and from around the world.

The diversity of world-class design talent in - and attracted to - London is one of the key strengths of the city over other global design centres; the London Design Festival brings this talent to the fore every year to connect with others, explore issues, do business, exchange ideas, and have fun.

The Festival is both a cultural and a commercial event. The programme ranges from major international exhibitions to trade events, installations to talks and seminars, from product launches to receptions, private views and parties. The majority of events are free of charge - enabling visitors to participate, listen, learn, commission and make purchases.

The Festival is funded through a combination of public and private sources. The London Development Agency has provided grant funding for the Festival since it was first staged. The London Design Festival Ltd is also an Arts Council 'regularly funded organisation'. Private funding (approx 60%) is raised through sponsorship of Festival projects alongside a small range of London Design Festival products and services delivered throughout the year.

Festival audiences are significant, with an estimated 300,000 direct visitors to events listed as part of the Festival in 2009. Visitors tend to be from four broad groups: consumers / public, design professionals, students and overseas visitors (with official visits from 22 countries recorded last year. The Festival also attracts substantial press coverage, with 918 separate pieces in the UK press alone, valued at over £2.7m.

London Design Festival at the V&A

'In Praise of Shadows' at the V&A
In 2009, for the first time, London Design Festival took up residence within the Victoria and Albert Museum, one of the world’s greatest museums of art and design. The V&A set aside the newly opened Sackler Centre and other areas of the museum for Festival events, shows, talks and installations. Highlights included:
The fourth staging of the London Design Embassy, providing an exclusive central business hub for international and press visitors to the Festival supported by the London Development Agency.
A poster exhibition curated by Domenic Lippa, featuring the work of 25 leading graphic designers using inspirational London as their brief.
'In Praise of Shadows' – an exhibition organised by EUNIC (the network of European Cultural Centres) with the support of the European Commission to mark the advent of the EU directive to phase out low-efficiency light bulbs by 2012
The Business of Design Talks in association with the Financial Times; a series of five talks tackling relevant and topical issues of the day including ‘Evolving Architecture’ and ‘Design in Adversity’. Panels of high-level speakers were selected from across business, design, architecture, retail and fashion, both in the UK and abroad.
The Wallpaper* Chair Arch – an outdoor installation reviving a Victorian tradition. In honour of Britain’s creative industries Wallpaper* commissioned a contemporary arch from designer, Martino Gamper, using Ercol chairs.
'Wasted' - a specially commissioned installation in the Tunnel Entrance to the V&A commissioned by Arts Co created from reclaimed waste.

Size + Matter

Shigeru Ban's 'Paper Tower', part of London Design Festival project Size + Matter
Size + Matter is a cornerstone of the London Design Festival, located at the Southbank Centre for one month during the Festival. Consisting of the Royal Festival Hall, The Hayward, Queen Elizabeth Hall and high profile public spaces, the site for the Size + Matter project is a popular outdoor attraction in London. In 2009 Size + Matter was seen by an estimated 763,000 visitors.
The Size + Matter project was first commissioned by the London Design Festival in 2007 in order to explore the dynamic between a chosen material, the manufacturing company and a leading designer or architect. The project is based on a partnership where the manufacturer supplies the material, its fabrication, and access to expertise.
The aims of the project have always been to challenge the perception of the materials used, to push the boundaries of that material, and to work on a different scale.

Size + Matter Projects
2007 - "Urban Nebula", Zaha Hadid; "Prototile", Amanda Levete
2008 - "Sclera", David Adjaye
2009 - "Supercell", Marc Newson; "Paper Tower", Shigeru Ban

Trafalgar Square

Jaime Hayon's 'The Tournament' in Trafalgar Square, part of London Design Festival 2009
Every year, the London Design Festival is granted sole use of Trafalgar Square during the Festival to host a design event.
The London Design Festival has previously delivered three events in the Square, with the intention of introducing design to a much wider audience. The projects have generated substantial press coverage and awareness of the London Design Festival.
[edit]Trafalgar Square Projects
2006 – “The Big Chair Grab”, Tom Dixon
2007 – “Great Light Giveaway”, Tom Dixon; “LomoWorldWall Exhibition”, Lomographic Society International
2009 – “The Tournament”, Jaime Hayon

The London Design Medal

Sir Paul Smith receiving the 2009 London Design Medal
The London Design Medal, awarded during the Festival, celebrates individuals that make outstanding contributions to the world through their achievements and influence on contemporary design.
The medal is designed by Domenic Lippa of Pentagram. Pentagram are also responsible for all London Design Festival branding. Thomas Fattorini Ltd, a long established British medal manufacturer based in the West Midlands, produce the double-sided medal which is 75mm in diameter, made from Sterling Silver with a gold plate finish.