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6 June 2025 – Three categories of the London Design Biennale medals were awarded during a ceremony at Somerset House, presided over by Sir Chris Bryant, Minister of State for Creative Industries, Arts and Tourism. Over 30 pavilions were assessed by a prestigious jury of leading figures from across the design and culture sectors. Malta was awarded the London Design Biennale Medal for most outstanding overall contribution. Poland received the London Design Biennale Theme Medal and Oman was awarded the London Design Biennale Best Design Medal. In addition, Northumbria University x UCL received special mentions from the judges. Samuel Ross also gave a special mention to the Nigeria pavilion. A fourth medal will be awarded on the 27 June for the pavilion most voted for by the visiting public. 

Malta, Oman and Poland announced as winners of the London Design Biennale 2025 Medals

5 June 2025 – London Design Biennale opens today at Somerset House with over 30 pavilions from around the world responding to this year’s theme, “Surface Reflections”, set by Artistic Director Dr Samuel Ross MBE. The 2025 Biennale explores the dynamic interplay between internal experience and external influence - inviting designers and audiences alike to consider what lies beneath the surface of the objects, systems, and spaces that shape our lives. In a time of global complexity and transformation, the Biennale boldly engages with themes of identity, memory, innovation, technology and craftsmanship through immersive installations, musical performances, soundscapes and hypnotic sculptural works. 

London Design Biennale opens with over 30 pavilions from across the world

28 April 2025 - A new wave of innovative
pavilions has been revealed, with designers and changemakers from around the world showcasing world- leading design, confronting global challenges and inspiring audiences. Joining the London Design Biennale programme this year, the Global Design Forum also hosts a series of events under the title ‘Design and the Invisible’ featuring a multidisciplinary community of creative practitioners using design-led solutions to address fundamental issues. Accreditation is now open. 

More pioneering pavilions for LDB25, with six weeks to go

06 March 2025 -  The first pavilions to be announced are: Argentina, Hong Kong, Poland, Malta, Nigeria, Oman, Peru, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan, Lebanon and Romania. Independent projects include works from Rachel Botsman, Melek Zeynep Bulut, Eco-Vision Plan, Oparanze Congress and the World Monuments Fund and English Heritage. Eureka projects include a collaboration between Northumbria University and UCL as well as presentations from King’s College London and VCUarts Qatar. 



First 20 pavilions revealed for London Design Biennale 2025

06 Feb 2025 - The fifth edition launches with a new visual identity by world-renowned design studio Pentagram. Using Artistic Director Dr. Samuel Ross MBE's theme ‘Surface Reflections’ as a starting point, the identity is based on the concept of celebrating the hues of human experience. Plus, this year, the Biennale is introducing £10 Youth tickets for visitors aged 16-25 on weekdays, facilitating greater accessibility for young design enthusiasts. Limited early bird tickets are now on sale offering 50% off full price general admission and concessions tickets. 

Tickets on sale and new visual identity unveiled

13 March 2024 - Dr. Samuel Ross MBE, has been announced as Artistic Director of the 2025 London Design Biennale. The British designer and artist is founder of A-COLD-WALL* and SR_A SR_A, as well as the Black British Artists Grants Programme. Ross has set the theme of ’Surface Reflections’ for 2025, which will explore how our ideas are fuelled by both our internal experiences and external influences.

Dr. Samuel Ross MBE appointed as Artistic Director of London Design Biennale 2025 

22 June 2023 - Turkey has been announced as the recipient of the London Design Biennale Public Medal, awarded last night at Somerset House’s Morgan Stanley Late. The Public Medal was voted for by the public over the course of the Biennale, which will close this weekend on 25 June.

Turkey is announced as the winner of London Design Biennale 2023 Public Medal as the exhibition enters its final weekend

2 June 2023, London –  Taiwan, Abu Dhabi and Poland have been awarded medals at the Medal Ceremony of the fourth edition of London Design Biennale, with the Netherlands receiving a special mention.

Taiwan, Abu Dhabi and Poland announced as winners of the London Design Biennale 2023 Medals


1 June, 2023, London – Today, London Design Biennale opens at Somerset House, bringing together over 40 participants from across the world to enact new forms of international cooperation and participation through design, under the theme ‘The Global Game: Remapping Collaborations,’ chosen by this year’s Artistic Director, the Nieuwe Instituut.

London Design Biennale opens at Somerset House with over 40 exhibitors from across the world

4 April 2023: London Design Biennale announces the first exhibitors for Eureka – a new addition to this year’s Biennale. Eureka will showcase design-led innovation from the UK’s leading research centres, featuring cross-disciplinary invention and creativity from academics, leaders and problem solvers.

London Design Biennale 2023 announces the first exhibitors for Eureka – an exhibition of design led research taking place in UK universities – running alongside the international showcase

27 February 2023: London Design Biennale announces the first confirmed exhibitors for its 2023 edition, taking place at Somerset House from 1-25 June. The theme of this year’s Biennale, ‘The Global Game: Remapping Collaborations,’ goes beyond borders and territories to enact new forms of international cooperation and participation through the medium of design.

London Design Biennale announces the first exhibitors for its 2023 edition, ‘The Global Game: Remapping Collaborations’

9 Feb 2023: London Design Biennale’s fourth edition, ‘The Global Game: Remapping Collaborations’, will take place this year from 1 to 25 June at Somerset House. The Biennale will bring together participants from across the globe, inspiring audiences through world leading design, innovation, and creativity. The theme of this year’s Biennale invites participants to imagine and enact new forms of international cooperation through the medium of design.

Save the Date: London Design Biennale returns for its fourth edition

9 June 2022, London - On Wednesday 25 May, London Design Biennale held a day of talks at Chatham House, which will inform the upcoming fourth edition, encouraging participating nations, cities and territories to tap into the power of imagination to redesign international collaborations in order to address society’s most pressing issues and drive social, ecological and planetary betterment.

London Design Biennale Summit invites the world's design community to reimagine collaborations

13 April 2022: London Design Biennale today announces the appointment of Het Nieuwe Instituut, the Dutch national museum and institute for architecture, design and digital culture, as Artistic Director of the fourth edition of London Design Biennale, taking place from 1-25 June 2023 at Somerset House.

London Design Biennale appoints Het Nieuwe Instituut as Artistic Director for the fourth edition

24 June 2021: At the ceremony for the third edition of London Design Biennale at Somerset House, Chile,
Venezuela, Pavilion of the African Diaspora and Israel were awarded this year’s London Design
Biennale Medals, and Germany received a special commendation.

Chile, Venezuela, Pavilion of the African Diaspora, and Israel announced as winners of London Design Biennale 2021 Medals

1 June 2021: Opening today at Somerset House, the third edition of London Design Biennale brings together over 30 pavilions to showcase leading international design thinking. Installations and presentations respond to the theme ‘Resonance,’ and Artistic Director Es Devlin’s call to action: how can design provide solutions to the major challenges and crises the world faces today.

London Design Biennale opens at Somerset House with 38 exhibitions from across six continents considering the vital role of design in addressing global challenges

29 April 2021: Under the theme 'Resonance', which considers the ripple effect of ground-breaking design concepts on the way we live, and the choices we make, pavilions from across six continents, will be joined by special projects and partnerships for a global collaboration and exchange on how design can shape our collective futures. 

London Design Biennale 2021 presents the world’s leading design and design-led innovation, creativity and research

5 March 2021: London Design Biennale today announces Forest for Change, the centrepiece of its 2021 edition, which will be held from 1- 27 June 2021 at Somerset House, welcoming a host of countries, cities and territories to
highlight the role of design in addressing global challenges and crises. 

London Design Biennale 2021 confirmed, 1 - 27 June

14 January 2021: Launching today, the digital gallery Design in an Age of Crisis shows the vital role of design in addressing worldwide challenges and providing solutions. Devised by the Biennale in partnership with Chatham House, this initiative marks the beginning of a new platform for international exchange of radical design ideas to tackle critical issues facing society, visible to policy makers and influencers beyond the design sector.

Design in an Age of Crisis launches today, with 500 submissions from over 50 countries across 6 continents 

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