London Design Festival has announced its additional Landmark and Special Projects for its 24th edition, taking place 12-20 September 2026 across the city.
This year's programme explores craft, material innovation and collaboration, with works displayed in iconic locations including the V&A, Barbican, Wapping Hydraulic Power Station, Somerset House, Strand Aldwych and St Paul's Cathedral.
"The commissioned special projects have become a key part of the festival's DNA. Our first was with Zaha Hadid in 2007 and since then we have created over 150 different projects. This year continues that approach with a programme that needs to be seen."
— Ben Evans CBE, Director and Co-Founder, London Design Festival
The Festival is supported by the Mayor of London as Principal Supporter and Bloomberg Philanthropies, with Bloomberg Connects as the official digital guide.
LANDMARK PROJECTS
The Point of Unity and Soul by Mykola Kabluka, produced by Expolight, at St Paul's Cathedral
Ukrainian lighting designer Mykola Kabluka, founder of Expolight, will transform St Paul's Cathedral with two works.
Soul explores the moment when an internal thought takes physical form, tracing the space between contemplation and action. Unlike conventional video projection, the imagery is not created in advance, but emerges through the interaction of light, glass, movement and space, informed by neurophysiological research into daydreaming and creative thought. The image is constantly changing, so no composition is repeated.
The Point of Unity will make its UK debut following its presentation at Burning Man. The immersive light sculpture explores human connection and presence. By day, mirrored surfaces reflect the sky and surroundings, while at night 3,500 fibre-optic points transform it into a field of stars. Custom optical filters break white light into shifting spectral patterns, accompanied by a soundtrack drawing on astronomical data.
Created amid Russia's war against Ukraine, the works address how to preserve inner light in times of darkness and find strength through human connection.
The Pangolin Shield by Studio Saar and Atelier One, supported by Secure, at Strand Aldwych
Previously announced, The Pangolin Shield will be located on Strand Aldwych, behind the Indian High Commission, close to the bust of Jawaharlal Nehru.
Inspired by the pangolin, the world's most trafficked mammal, the bamboo grid shell is covered with traditional Indian police shields made from cane and bamboo, and woven rain shields or 'knups' used by farmers in north-eastern India. The bamboo was sourced from three Indian states — Meghalaya, Punjab and Karnataka.
Studio Saar and Atelier One aim to disarm emblems of authority and present them as a protective shelter that brings people together to explore culture, heritage and material innovation.
SPECIAL PROJECTS
The Speaking Oasis by Azaz Architects, sponsored by the Ithra Palm Initiative, at Cromwell Place
Conceived by architect Shahad Alazzaz, founder of Azaz Architects, The Speaking Oasis explores palm weaving across art, architecture and product design. Inspired by the al-Hasa Oasis, the world's largest natural date palm oasis, the project reimagines palm as a symbol of heritage, resilience and innovation.
It is sponsored by the Ithra Palm Initiative, launched by the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.
The Art of Sound at Wapping Hydraulic Power Station, powered by L-Acoustics, hosted by Glass Castle Foundation
For the first time in 13 years, Wapping Hydraulic Power Station, built in 1890, will open to the public with immersive sound installations.
Feeling is Structure by Max Cooper is a 20-minute spatial sound experience originally developed for the Royal Albert Hall. Cooper, who holds a PhD in Computational Biology, investigates the relationship between physical form, perception and emotional experience, reconfigured as an inhabitable sonic environment.
Trent Falls by Chris Watson guides listeners down the Humber estuary, from Goole docks to Spurn Point where it flows into the North Sea, capturing reeds, bitterns, Hull Fair, cathedral bells and the calls of grey seals. Watson is renowned for recording animal sounds and habitats for installations at the National Gallery and the Louvre.
Works including Lengua Desollada by Hollie Buhagiar and A Decade is a Long Time by Helen Lyon will also feature.
MADE x Barbican at the Barbican
MADE unveils its interiors collaboration with the Barbican, with an immersive installation in the Level G Hub Space. Drawing on exclusive access to the Barbican Archive and the pioneering work of designer Miriam Howitt, the collection translates Brutalist architecture into bold, functional designs. Available at MADE.COM.
Craft x Tech Tokai Project at the V&A
The second edition returns to the V&A's Medieval & Renaissance Gallery, Room 64b. Founded by Dr Hideki Yoshimoto of Tangent and curated by Maria Cristina Didero, it pairs artisans from Japan's Tokai region with international designers.
Collaborations include: Fushi — Yohei Ito (Fudogama) x David Caon; Grid Unwoven — Takanori Senda x Lanzavecchia + Wai; Kataginu — Hiroyuki Murase x Bethan Laura Wood; Kasane — Shigeyuki Ando x Philippe Malouin; For Chair in Japanese Nuki and Dami style — Mayuki Kato x Eugene Kangawa; and Yamollo — Tomoyuki Matsuda x Atang Tshikare. The exhibition will remain on display until end of September.
Reviving Craft: Reflection of the Mind by Sun Media Group at Somerset House
Curated by Su Dan and Yang Lan, Chairperson of Sun Media Group, the third edition brings together more than 60 artisans and designers. Centred on the relationship between humans and the self, it is divided into Clear the Mind, Nourish the Mind, and Refine the Mind.
Highlights include Chen Qingqing's garment using ramie fibre, Yao Jianpin's four-panel screens using Suzhou embroidery, He Hongbing's Dragon and Floral Motif Jar in bamboo, Wang Huaiqing's reimagined red-lacquered gate Entrance, Wu Haoyu's New Stonewear exploring the symbolism of the circle, and Rosalie Huang's Ming Yellow Embroidered Wedding Dress, which took 36,435 hours to make by 25 craftspeople using traditional motifs.
London Design Festival runs 12-20 September 2026. More at londondesignfestival.com
