Bankside Design District returns

London Design Festival (LDF) takes place from 17–25 September 2022, and we are proud to be bringing back Bankside Design District. Bankside is one of London’s most creative and cultural districts and for LDF, we will celebrate the area’s thriving creative and design industries. Bankside Design District will run east to west along the Thames from Borough Market to Oxo Tower Wharf. Expect a packed programme of events showcasing the very best in design, craft and innovation from sustainable public realm activations, gobo light installations and craft exhibitions.

Africa Centre
Sat 17th Sept – BOOK LAUNCH
Join us for a conversation with author Ken Kwenu Nimo, followed by a Q&A section as well as a screening of ‘Fashioning West Africa’ by Arieta Mujay-Barg.
Thu 22nd Sept – FIRE SIDE CHAT
Join us for a fire-side discussion with Ken Kweku Nimo, in conversation with leading contemporary African creatives. Ken will discuss his new book, the history of fashion in Africa as well as upcoming, contemporary African designers.
Sat 24th Sept – BATIK WORKSHOP
Learn the techniques and process of Batik dying in a 2-hour-long workshop which will examine the skills and techniques used in Batik dying.

BDG
Route Aero313; the journey from London to Detroit
Aero313 luminaire is designed by BDG and manufactured by FUTURE Designs in the UK. This bespoke light fitting, created for the latest WPP campus in Detroit, encapsulates the rich history of the city where it is located in the historic Marquette Building, a 150,000 sq ft campus in downtown Detroit.

Cindy Lilen – The Hoxton
All lamps are inspired by different ancestral textile techniques from different craft communities around the world, bringing ancestral wisdom and nature to your interiors. Focusing on the nordic concept of “Hygge”, they create a versatile interior where you can enjoy and feel happy and playful.

Fagerhult
Design plays a vital role in our well-being and Fagerhult wanted to produce a mural painted by light, paying tribute to the power of design created by the people who bring well-being to our built environment. They challenged the architecture and design community to create an illustration that addresses “how design can help create environments that foster well-being and enrich our lives”. The winner’s design will be unveiled on Thursday, 22 September.

Hope Exchange
Better Bankside has collaborated with The Fandangoe Kid Studios to produce a hand painted artwork on the existing Hope Exchange triangle, creating a new public space that celebrates the LGBTQ+ community in Bankside, London and beyond.

Jon Fawcett: From the Sky at Borough Yards
From the Sky presents a diverse new collection of art-light-works, designed to create calming, consciousness enhancing atmospheres. From hand painted wall pieces to minimal desk lamps and sculptural chandeliers, each piece features a unique combination of contemporary and traditional methods.

Le Labo Fragrances at Borough Yards
Le Labo On Wheels is a fully operated mobile lab that will make its very first stop in London. Visit to discover their collection.

Material Matters at Oxo Tower Wharf
22-24 September, 10am – 6pm, 25 September, 11am – 4pm
Material Matters is a new design fair based on the critically-acclaimed podcast of the same name. With installations, a marketplace and extensive talks programme, the event brings together brands, designers, makers and organisations to celebrate the importance of materials and their ability to shape our lives.

Night Club at Southwark Street Arch
19-24 September, Opening times TBC
NIGHT CLUB is an award-winning engagement programme that brings workers and employers together with sleep scientists to help mitigate the negative impact of shift work. Co-designed with night shift workers and devised by The Liminal Space, NIGHT CLUB innovates wellbeing training through the lens of art and design. The interactive installation combines evidence-based content with bright lights, neon colours and bold provocations to inspire action and spark imagination. Check out the events programme on night-club.org.

Oxo Tower Wharf
Visitors can explore over 25 designer-maker open studios across two floors of the riverside landmark. From millinery to ceramics, weaving to leatherworking and much more, a haven for the design curious is waiting to be discovered at Oxo Tower Wharf. Their creative community occupy studio showrooms on the first and second floors which you can visit to browse, buy, commission, and learn. Many of the studios will be hosting their own special events for LDF 2022.

Patrick Nash Design at Borough Yards
Patrick Nash Design was established in 1997 as a design-build studio specialized in architectural lighting and custom neon. Today we specialize in creating experiential displays, custom built interiors and branded spaces. We work with our clients to solve complex problems through experimentation and a creative approach to materials, tools and fabrication techniques.

Shakespeare Art Trail
To mark the 25th anniversary of Shakespeare’s Globe, Better Bankside has created an immersive Shakespeare Art Trail with 25 Shakespeare quotes appearing throughout the area, with works of photography and illustration, textile and graphic design, sound and light based projections alongside street art and installations.

Yasemin Toygar at Bankside Hotel
Furniture designer Yasemin Toygar will exhibit “Plato Pouf” – a still-life inspired sculptural pouf – at the Bankside Hotel, celebrating the launch of her debut furniture collection.

We will be releasing more information over the next few weeks so keep an eye on our social media pages. There is also still time to be involved. Whether you have space to host a designer, or are an F&B establishment wanting to offer a special offer to visitors, get in touch to find out more. Contact Emma Charter, Marketing Manager, ec@betterbankside.co.uk