Design Diplomacy: How the London Design Biennale Creates Cross-Cultural Dialogue
An examination of how the Biennale's format facilitates exchange between different design traditions and cultural perspectives.
Dezeen, July 2023
Introduction
The London Design Biennale is a prestigious global event established in 2016 by Sir John Sorrell CBE and Ben Evans CBE to showcase world-leading design, innovation, and creativity from across the globe. Held at Somerset House, one of London's most iconic cultural venues, the Biennale brings together national pavilions, design studios, and creative visionaries to respond to a central theme through thought-provoking installations.
For each edition, the Biennale invites countries, cities, and territories to present original installations that explore how design can provide solutions to the major challenges facing our world today. These range from climate change and social inequality to technological transformation and the future of human experience. By bringing together diverse perspectives from around the world, the Biennale creates a unique platform for cross-cultural exchange and collaboration.
Beyond the exhibition itself, the Biennale hosts a rich program of events, talks, performances, and workshops that extend the conversation around design's role in addressing complex global issues. Through these varied formats, the London Design Biennale champions design as a powerful tool for positive change and international dialogue.
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Design Diplomacy: Somerset House as the Global Design Parliament
In a world increasingly defined by digital borders and political divides, the London Design Biennale has accomplished something remarkable: transforming an 18th-century neoclassical palace into a vibrant parliament of global design diplomacy. Since its inception in 2016, this ambitious exhibition has reshaped both London's cultural landscape and international design discourse through a uniquely powerful model of cultural exchange.
Somerset House—once home to the Royal Academy and Navy Office—now hosts a different kind of diplomatic corps every two years. Here, nations don't negotiate through words but through designed experiences that transcend language barriers and political tensions. "We didn't want another design fair or trade show," explains Sir John Sorrell, the Biennale's co-founder. "We envisioned a platform where design could address the critical issues of our time through the lens of different cultural perspectives, creating dialogue where traditional diplomacy might struggle."
This vision materialized dramatically in the inaugural 2016 edition, when over 30 countries responded to the theme "Utopia by Design." Saudi Arabia and Iran—geopolitical rivals—found themselves as neighboring pavilions, each offering profoundly different interpretations of what an ideal future might entail. Visitors moved freely between these contrasting visions, experiencing a form of cultural exchange impossible in conventional diplomatic settings. "The beauty of design diplomacy," notes cultural theorist Alexandra Bedford, "is that it communicates through experience rather than rhetoric, allowing for genuine curiosity rather than defensive positioning."
The physical transformation of Somerset House during the Biennale is itself a powerful metaphor. Its rigid historical architecture becomes temporarily fluid, with installations reimagining spaces in ways that often challenge Western design hierarchies. During the 2018 edition themed "Emotional States," Egypt's pavilion transformed a pristine gallery into a cacophonous Cairo streetscape, complete with the sounds, scents, and visual language of the city's vibrant informal design economy. Meanwhile, Japan's meditation on digital anxiety occupied a minimalist space that contrasted sharply with the Egyptian exuberance just steps away.
This juxtaposition of cultural approaches to universal human concerns creates what Biennale Director Victoria Broackes calls "design empathy"—the ability to understand different worldviews through their material and spatial expressions. "When you experience how another culture designs solutions to shared problems, you gain insights impossible to achieve through mere discussion," she explains. This approach has proven particularly valuable for addressing divisive global challenges like climate change, migration, and technological disruption.
The Biennale's impact extends far beyond the three-week exhibition period. Participating countries frequently report diplomatic breakthroughs and unexpected collaborations emerging from their involvement. After the 2021 edition, Latvian and Chilean design teams—who had never previously interacted—embarked on a joint project addressing coastal resilience, sparked by conversations that began at Somerset House. For smaller nations with limited diplomatic resources, the Biennale offers an unparalleled platform for cultural soft power. Lebanon's 2018 pavilion, created amid economic crisis, generated international design commissions that provided vital support for the country's creative economy.
London itself has been profoundly transformed by hosting this global design forum. The Biennale has catalyzed a redistribution of the city's design geography, challenging the dominance of established design districts. "Before the Biennale, London's design scene was concentrated in specific neighborhoods like Clerkenwell and Shoreditch," observes urban researcher Maya Patel. "Now we're seeing design initiatives spreading throughout the city, often in unexpected areas, inspired by the Biennale's model of transformation through design intervention."
Educational institutions have particularly embraced the Biennale as a learning laboratory. During each edition, thousands of design students from across the UK participate in workshops and guided tours. Many report that exposure to such diverse design approaches fundamentally alters their understanding of their discipline. "Seeing Lebanon's pavilion in 2018 completely changed my perspective on what design can achieve with limited resources," recalls former Central Saint Martins student Jakob Henriksen, now leading humanitarian design projects. "It helped me understand design not as aesthetic refinement but as creative problem-solving under constraint."
As the Biennale prepares for its fifth edition in 2025 under Artistic Director Dr. Samuel Ross MBE, with the theme "Surface Reflections," its evolution continues. The upcoming edition will expand beyond Somerset House for the first time, with satellite installations planned across London to further democratize access. This expansion reflects the Biennale's growing confidence and ambition—no longer merely a newcomer to the global design exhibition circuit but a distinctive model for how design can foster meaningful international dialogue in challenging times.
In an era when traditional diplomacy often struggles to address complex global challenges, the London Design Biennale offers an alternative approach: creating spaces where nations can communicate through the universal language of design, turning Somerset House into the world's most eloquent design parliament.
History & Evolution
The London Design Biennale was established in 2016 as a global platform for international design dialogue and exchange. Founded by Sir John Sorrell CBE and Ben Evans CBE, the Biennale aimed to create a space where countries could showcase their design talent while addressing pressing global challenges through creative solutions.
The inaugural edition in 2016 explored the theme "Utopia by Design," celebrating the 500th anniversary of Thomas More's seminal text and inviting participants to imagine how design could create better futures. This first Biennale established the format that would define subsequent editions: a central theme interpreted through national pavilions, each presenting a unique installation that reflects both the country's design heritage and contemporary concerns.
Since then, the Biennale has evolved into one of the world's most significant design events, expanding its reach and impact with each edition. The event has consistently attracted leading designers, thinkers, and institutions, establishing London as a central hub for global design discourse.
Throughout its evolution, the Biennale has maintained its commitment to showcasing how design can address major global challenges. From climate change to social inequality, technological disruption to cultural preservation, the event demonstrates design's power as a tool for questioning, reimagining, and reshaping our world.
2016
Inaugural edition exploring "Utopia by Design," celebrating the 500th anniversary of Thomas More's text, featuring 37 countries and territories
2018
Second edition themed "Emotional States," examining how design affects every aspect of our lives, with 40 participating countries
2021
Third edition with the theme "Resonance," curated by Es Devlin, exploring design's response to global challenges amid the pandemic
2023
Fourth edition titled "The Global Game: Remapping Collaborations," led by Aric Chen and Het Nieuwe Instituut with 40+ participants
2025
Fifth edition with the theme "Surface Reflections," to be curated by Samuel Ross MBE, exploring internal and external influences on design
Thematic Focus
Each edition of the London Design Biennale is built around a central theme that provides a conceptual framework for participating countries, territories, and cities. These themes are chosen to explore pressing global challenges and demonstrate design's power to address complex issues facing humanity today.
Past & Upcoming Themes
"Surface Reflections" (2025) - The upcoming fifth edition, curated by Dr. Samuel Ross MBE, will explore how our ideas are shaped by both internal experiences and external influences. It examines how personal histories inform who we are and how these elements combine to create the multifaceted nature of human experience.
"The Global Game: Remapping Collaborations" (2023) - Led by Aric Chen and Het Nieuwe Instituut, this edition invited participants to reimagine new forms of international cooperation. It explored how design could help create alternative geopolitical landscapes driven by collaboration rather than competition or conflict.
"Resonance" (2021) - Artistic Director Es Devlin chose this theme to examine how design reverberates across time and space, exploring its capacity to address our changing world. Installations explored how design solutions could respond to the major crises of our time, from climate change to social division.
"Emotional States" (2018) - The second edition examined how design affects every aspect of our lives and influences our emotions and experiences. Countries explored how design can evoke, manipulate, and mediate our emotional responses.
"Utopia by Design" (2016) - The inaugural theme celebrated the 500th anniversary of Thomas More's Utopia, challenging designers to consider how their work could create better futures and address fundamental issues facing humanity.
Key Focus Areas
Across these thematic explorations, several recurring concerns emerge:
- Sustainability & Environmental Responsibility - Exploring how design can address climate change and foster more sustainable relationships with our planet
- Social Equity & Inclusion - Examining design's role in creating more just and accessible societies
- Technological Transformation - Considering how emerging technologies reshape human experience and can be harnessed for positive change
- Cross-Cultural Dialogue - Fostering understanding and cooperation across different cultures and traditions
- Future Visions - Imagining alternative possibilities and paths forward through speculative design
Through these varied thematic explorations, the London Design Biennale demonstrates design's capacity to not only respond to current challenges but to actively shape more desirable futures through critical thinking, creative innovation, and collaborative action.
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Exhibition Format
The London Design Biennale has a distinctive format that brings together national pavilions from across the globe, each presenting a unique installation responding to the Biennale's central theme. This approach creates a rich tapestry of design perspectives, showcasing how different cultures approach shared challenges through their unique design traditions and contemporary innovations.
National Pavilions
The core of the Biennale consists of country, city, and territory pavilions, each presenting an installation created by leading designers, artists, and architects. These pavilions transform the historic spaces of Somerset House into a global showcase of design thinking and practice.
Each pavilion provides a platform for nations to showcase their design identity while addressing the Biennale's theme. This format creates a "design olympics" of sorts, where countries present their most innovative ideas and perspectives, fostering a spirit of creative exchange and friendly competition.
Interactive Installations
Many pavilions feature interactive elements that invite visitor participation, creating immersive experiences that engage multiple senses and encourage active exploration.
Multimedia Presentations
Digital technologies, film, sound, and other media are often incorporated to create dynamic presentations that communicate complex ideas in accessible ways.
Material Explorations
Many pavilions showcase innovative materials and fabrication techniques, demonstrating new possibilities for sustainable and responsible design.
Conceptual Spaces
Thought-provoking environments that challenge visitors to reconsider established ideas and imagine alternative possibilities through spatial experiences.
Complementary Programs
Beyond the pavilions, the Biennale features a rich program of supplementary activities:
- Talks & Conferences - Discussions, debates, and presentations featuring leading designers, thinkers, and policymakers
- Workshops - Hands-on learning experiences that engage visitors with design processes and techniques
- Performances - Live events that activate the exhibition spaces and bring design concepts to life
- Special Projects - Additional installations and initiatives that complement the national pavilions
- Publications - Catalogues and other materials that document the Biennale and extend its reach
This multifaceted approach creates a comprehensive design festival that appeals to both specialists and the general public, making complex design ideas accessible while maintaining intellectual rigor and creative ambition.
Medals & Awards
The London Design Biennale presents a series of prestigious medals to recognize outstanding contributions to the exhibition. These awards celebrate excellence in design thinking, innovation, and the creative interpretation of each edition's central theme.
Official Medals
The Biennale awards four primary medals:
- London Design Biennale Medal - Awarded to the most outstanding overall contribution. This premier award recognizes exceptional achievement in design expression, innovation, and relevance to the Biennale's theme.
- London Design Biennale Theme Medal - Presented to the national pavilion with the most inspiring interpretation of the Biennale's central theme, demonstrating conceptual depth and creative vision.
- London Design Biennale Best Design Medal - Recognizes the contribution with the most exceptional design quality, honoring technical excellence, material innovation, and formal sophistication.
- London Design Biennale Public Medal - Selected by visitors to the exhibition, this award acknowledges the installation that most resonates with the public.
Medal Winners
Recent recipients have included:
- 2023 Medal Winners - Poland received the Biennale Medal for "Poetics of Necessity"; Abu Dhabi won the Theme Medal for "Formation of Soof"; Taiwan earned the Best Design Medal for "Visible Shop"; and Turkey was awarded the Public Medal for "OpenWork".
- 2021 Medal Winners - Chile was recognized with the Theme Medal for "Tectonic Resonances"; the Pavilion of the African Diaspora received the Best Design Medal; and Israel won the Public Medal for "The Boiler Room".
The medals themselves are specially designed for each edition of the Biennale, often by emerging designers or craftspeople who create objects that embody the Biennale's commitment to excellence in design.
Through these awards, the London Design Biennale not only celebrates outstanding contributions but also highlights the diversity of approaches to design across different cultural contexts, reinforcing the global nature of the exhibition and its embrace of multiple design perspectives.
Experience the Biennale
Explore the atmosphere and impact of the London Design Biennale through this video showcase of recent exhibitions, installations, and visitor experiences at Somerset House.
Video: London Design Biennale Exhibition Experience | Watch on YouTube
Featured Articles
Explore insights and perspectives on the London Design Biennale through these selected articles from leading design publications and critics.
From Presentation to Participation: Evolving Visitor Engagement at the London Design Biennale
A study of how interactive design strategies are transforming passive viewing into active participation at the Biennale.
Wallpaper*, March 2023
Designing Futures: Speculative Approaches at the London Design Biennale
An analysis of how the Biennale encourages forward-thinking approaches that imagine alternative possibilities through design.
Design Observer, November 2022
Location
The London Design Biennale takes place at Somerset House, one of London's most iconic cultural venues, located in the heart of the city on the banks of the River Thames.
London Design Guide
Navigate the UK's design capital like an insider with our curated guide to London's creative districts, innovative studios, and design landmarks beyond the Biennale venue.
Clerkenwell Design Quarter
Hub of design showrooms and studios
Design Museum
Contemporary design in Kensington
Shoreditch Design Triangle
Emerging design and street culture
V&A Museum
World's largest decorative arts collection
Design Districts
- 📍 Southbank: Arts complex with changing design exhibitions
- 📍 King's Cross: Revitalized design hub with Coal Drops Yard
- 📍 Brompton Design District: Curated design program during LDF
- 📍 Mayfair Design District: Luxury design galleries and showrooms
Getting Around
London's extensive public transport system makes navigating between design destinations simple. From Somerset House, most design districts are within a 30-minute journey. The Tube's Piccadilly, Central, and Northern lines connect major design hubs, while buses offer scenic routes through the city's creative quarters. For the full design experience, consider walking routes along the Thames, linking Somerset House to the Design Museum and Tate Modern.