London Design Festival 2025 in South Kensington

South Kensington is buzzing this September as the London Design Festival (13–21 September 2025) takes over the neighbourhood with bold installations, thought-provoking talks, and hands-on workshops. From radical reimaginings of birdhouses to explorations of AI, fashion ecosystems, and cultural heritage, South Kensington is at the heart of the celebrations. Here’s what not to miss:

Design Museum

Free Displays

• PLATFORM: Bethan Laura Wood (Level 1)
  Kick things off with a vibrant look at the work of Bethan Laura Wood, known for her colourful, playful approach to design.

• Marina Willer x Pith: Sketching with Stickers (Mezzanine)
  Peek into Willer’s expressive sketchbooks, brimming with creativity and colour.

• Design Researchers in Residence: Artificial (Level 2)
  How can design respond to a climate crisis that’s more-than-human? This year’s residents tackle big questions about the future.

• Dwellings, Rehomed (Museum Garden)
  Birdhouses, but make it design! A garden full of imaginative new homes for feathered friends.

• Designer Maker User (Level 2)
  An intro to the museum’s collection and the evolving roles of designers, makers, and users.

Major Exhibitions

• More than Human (Ground Level)
  How can design help our planet thrive when it shifts focus away from human needs? Expect a deep dive into the intersections of art, science, and ecology.

• Blitz: the club that shaped the 80s (Level -1, from 20 Sept)
  Step into the club that sparked a cultural revolution in London, from fashion to music to art.

Workshops

• The Power of Colour in Interior Design Workshop – Sat 20 Sept
  Play with moodboards, natural dyes, and textiles to explore how colour transforms space.

V&A South Kensington

The V&A South Kensington is once again the festival’s hub, offering a packed programme of displays and events that tackle urgent global issues - from environmental crisis to cultural identity.

Free Displays

• Roo Dhissou – Heal, Home, Hmmmm
  A sculptural pavilion using reclaimed clay and Punjabi mud-building techniques, exploring care, community, and environmental responsibility.

• Ryunosuke Okazaki – JOMONJOMON
  Seven works inspired by Japan’s Jōmon period, blending ancient clay forms with futuristic design.

• Alicja Patanowska – The Ripple Effect
  A ceramic seating installation in the V&A garden, reflecting on water, mining waste, and our impact on natural resources.
• Jakkai Siributr – There’s No Place 
  A collaborative embroidery project exploring identity, belonging, and home, inspired by the Thai-Burma refugee crisis.

• Ramzi Mallat – Not Your Martyr 
  A memorial in vibrant glass ma’amoul, reflecting on lives lost in the 2020 Beirut Port explosion and shared cultural memory.

• Rana Haddad & Pascal Hachem – Debris of Text and Eyeglasses
  An installation documenting the spectacles and fragments of text found after the 2020 Beirut Port explosion, reflecting on human fragility and loss.

• Jumana Emil Abboud – The Water Diviners Trail
  A self-guided trail uncovering objects and stories shaped by water, inviting reflection and imagination across cultures.

• Polish Posters Now!
  Celebrating the graphic power of Polish poster art.

• (S)Low-Tech AI by Studio Above&Below 
  An immersive look at alternative, sustainable visions of AI.

Talks, Workshops & Drop-ins

• Friday Late: Caring in Common – Fri 19 Sept
  The museum comes alive after hours with live music and installations exploring care, solidarity, and responses to global crises.

• Digital Design Weekend – Fri 19 to Sun 21 Sept
   A weekend of free workshops, interactive installations, and immersive experiences exploring art, design, and technology.

Japan House London

• Pictograms: Iconic Japanese Designs - 29 July – 9 November 2025

Explore the universal language of pictograms, from Olympic graphics to emojis, with interactive installations and giant symbols to discover at Japan House London.

And that’s just the beginning! Discover even more free events happening across South Kensington here, and don’t forget to tag us on Instagram to share your adventures!