Resonance
1 - 27 June 2021
Somerset House
The third edition of London Design Biennale took place at Somerset House from 1-25 June 2021.
The Artistic Director was multi-award-winning artist and designer Es Devlin who chose the theme 'Resonance' which countries, cities and territories responded to in their installations and presentations.
Exhibitors
Medals
London Design Biennale presented four Medals to the most outstanding contributions to the exhibition in 2021. Chile was awarded the London Design Biennale Medal, for the most outstanding overall contribution. Venezuela was awarded the London Design Biennale Theme Medal for the most inspiring interpretation of the theme. Pavilion of the African Diaspora won the London Design Biennale Best Design Medal for the most exceptional design. Germany was praised with a Special Commendation. Israel received the London Design Biennale Public Medal, voted for by the public.
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The London Design Biennale 2021 Medal Winners.
Chile - ‘Tectonic Resonances’ was awarded the London Design Biennale 2021 Medal, for the most outstanding overall contribution. Photo by Taran Wilkhu
Venezuela - ‘La Rentrada’ was awarded the London Design Biennale Theme Medal, for the most inspiring interpretation of the theme. Photo by Taran Wilkhu
The ‘PoAD - Pavilion of the African Diaspora’ was awarded the London Design Biennale Best Design Medal for the most exceptional design. Photo by Taran Wilkhu
Israel - ‘The Boiler Room’ was awarded the London Design Biennale Public Medal, voted for by the public. Photo by Taran Wilkhu
The Medals, handmade by London-based jewellery partnership Shimell and Madden, master geometry and structural patterns, an assortment of brass spheres that are soldered, sanded, polished, engraved and lacquered. In essence, they are simultaneously futuristic yet ancient and timeless – a design made for all future London Design Biennales.
Brand Identity
London Design Biennale 2021 was the first major design event in the capital since the start of the global pandemic. For the identity, Domenic Lippa and his team at Pentagram took inspiration from the tree—something we take for granted but that is one of the most potent symbols of regeneration. Trees represent the environmental struggle we are collectively facing but also the solution, as they can help breathe life back into our planet. The identity has been applied across print and digital applications, along with a special limited-edition souvenir box.
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To engage viewers and help reinforce the Biennale’s central theme, a series of questions set in an elegant serif typeface are woven around tree branches. These include provocative questions such as ‘can design change our habits?’ and ‘can design bring change?’
Designed to continue the conversation, this memento aimed to spark new ideas and inspiration, which hopefully grew beyond the 2021 Biennale. The 1000 boxes included cards to build your own cathedral of creativity, an acorn to plant your ideas and a sketchbook to record them, stickers to keep asking the important questions and art prints to contemplate how design can change the world.