This September will see the 11th year of the London Design Festival, one of the most important events on the global design calendar. The festival will again present a program that celebrates and challenges design, from large-scale landmark initiatives to an array of satellite destinations, districts and hotspots covering the breadth of London.
KEY FEATURES OF THE 2013 FESTIVAL
ST PAUL’S CATHEDRAL
One of London’s most iconic landmarks will play host to ‘Endless Stair,’ which will invite visitors to climb a series of 20 Escher-like interlocking staircases made from a prefabricated construction using 44 cubic metres of Tulipwood. As a viewpoint, the structure is on axis with the Millennium Bridge leading directly to the Tate Modern and will provide an impressive view of the River Thames. London based design practice Seam Design will provide a lighting scheme to illuminate the installation using equipment by Lumenpulse.
GLOBAL DESIGN FORUM
Following on from the sell-out inaugural event in 2012, the Global Design Forum returns with an enhanced program in 2013. The event brings together some of the most revered names in the worlds of design, business, branding and innovation to explore how design can make the world a better place. Comprising keynote speeches, panel discussions, fast-paced presentations and Q&A sessions, the forum creates a rich platform for open discussion and debate. The program sees a revised approach for 2013 including a conversation style opening by graphic legend Peter Saville the day before the main event at the Purcell Rooms in the Southbank Centre, involving over 20 high-profile international speakers.
V&A MUSEUM
The V&A Museum continues its relationship as the hub venue for the festival, showcasing specially commissioned installations by the likes of Swarovski, Scholten & Baijings and Amorim. The installations will form part of an extensive program at the V&A Museum, which includes events, workshops and talks.
PARTNER ACTIVITY
Over the past 11 years, a number of key design exhibitions have become an integral and vital part of the London Design Festival, each offering an exciting mix of designers, products, talks, installations and innovations housed under one roof. These Design Destinations – 100% Design, Decorex, Designjunction, Super Brands London and Tent London – are hubs for conducting business during the Festival, providing a focal point for international buyers, specifiers and the media. The festival’s newly redesigned website will allow visitors to easily navigate the range of activity through GPS event mapping and a ‘My Festival’ tool allowing users to create their personal itinerary which can be viewed in list form, or directly on a map.
For more information, visit londondesignfestival.com
