Southbank ‘hub’ for London Design Festival

The London Design Festival will this year be run from the Southbank Centre, its organisers announced this week, claiming it is the first time the event has had a dedicated central hub.

Southbank Centre will act as an information point for visitors and the LDF hopes it will serve to broaden the festival’s reach. Activities will centre around the newly refurbished Royal Festival Hall, which will host the festival’s opening event on 17 September. The wider Southbank site will host public events and activities, including exhibitions and talks.

Other signature events this year include the Materials Project, which will see designers, architects and materials manufacturers team up to create a series of installations. Ron Arad, Zaha Hadid, Thomas Heatherwick and Amanda Levete, along with materials company Corian, are among those taking part.

The organisation also confirmed that Pentagram partner Domenic Lippa will manage graphic design for the festival.

Alongside festival stalwart 100% Design and the new show Tent London, the writers collective 26 will create a series of 48-sheet advertising posters demonstrating the power of language in design. International exhibitions include The Townhouse, a space dedicated to Danish design, and Casa Décor, a showcase of European and Latin American design.

The LDF recently secured a further three years’ funding from the London Development Agency, following an audit by consultancy firm Stratagem earlier this year. The audit called for the LDF to establish better working relationships and communications with stakeholders and partners.