Technology

London Design Festival 2025 explores sustainability and AI-driven innovation

Friday, 12 September 2025 4:11AM UTC

This year's London Design Festival showcases a focus on regenerative industrial practices, AI integration in design, and sustainable material innovations, with exclusive talks, exhibitions, and events that are shaping the future of design.

During this year's London Design Festival, from 13 to 21 September 2025, Dezeen is co-hosting a compelling series of events that span talks, discussions, and celebrations, contributing to the vibrant tapestry of design-focused activities across the city. With spaces limited and attendance by RSVP only, these events promise intimate access to influential voices and innovative ideas shaping contemporary design practices.

The festival kicks off on Monday 15 September with "Worst Case, Best Fix," a talk co-hosted with project management platform Programa held at Moroso on Rosebery Avenue. Moderated by Dezeen's editorial director Max Fraser, the session features speakers including Oliver Wit, director of Cake Architecture; Gemma McCloskey, founder of Cupla Studio; and Zoe Lowres, co-founder of Programa. The panel will dissect the successes and failures inherent in design processes, aiming to draw insights that can elevate future projects.

The theme of technological innovation takes centre stage on Tuesday 16 September at Ustwo's Shoreditch headquarters during the "Judging the Machine" talk. Co-hosted with digital production studio Ustwo, the discussion, led by Dezeen's features editor Nat Barker, explores the expanding role of artificial intelligence within design practices. It promises to address how AI is integrated from the early research phase through to development and final production, featuring expert insights from Ustwo and the Victoria & Albert Museum.

One of the festival's highlights is Morrama's "From the Ground Up" exhibition, running from 16 to 20 September at Hackney Depot. Morrama, an industrial design agency celebrated for its commitment to sustainability, presents this immersive exhibition that challenges traditional extractive models of industrial design. Instead, it focuses on regenerative practices inspired by natural processes and revises relationships with materials. The display includes innovative projects that consider the entire product lifecycle—from inception through to natural degradation—highlighting bio-based alternatives and circular material systems. The exhibition is complemented by panel discussions and workshops that delve into applied material innovation, reinforcing a shift toward environmentally responsible design futures.

On Thursday 18 September at Hackney Depot, Fraser sits down with Jo Barnard, Morrama's founder, for a fireside chat discussing her recent book, From People to Planet: Lessons from a Design Agency. This conversation explores how design can be a powerful tool for planetary improvement, the industry's progress toward better ecological practices, and strategies to accelerate this transformation.

That same evening, Dezeen and furniture company Henge will host an exclusive cocktail party at Henge’s newly redesigned showroom on Brompton Road. The 600-square-metre space, meticulously crafted to serve both as a showcase of Henge's latest collections and a social hub, reflects the brand's distinctive and timeless approach to material craft. Henge, known for its participatory sculptural installations inspired by ancient structures and made from zero-carbon, recyclable Jurassic limestone, extends its presence at the festival by creating an immersive environment that celebrates both design and community.

These events form part of a broader programme of exhibitions, installations, and talks featured throughout London Design Festival 2025. Together, they articulate a vibrant dialogue around innovation, sustainability, technology, and the social impact of design, engaging professionals and enthusiasts alike in shaping the future of the industry.

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Source: Noah Wire Services

More on this

https://www.dezeen.com/2025/09/11/dezeen-events-london-design-festival-2025/ - Please view link - unable to able to access data
https://www.morrama.com/latest/morrama-to-host-from-the-ground-up-exhibition-at-london-design-festival-2025 - Morrama is hosting 'From the Ground Up', an immersive exhibition at the London Design Festival from 16th to 20th September 2025. The exhibition aims to reframe industrial design from an extractive to a regenerative practice, drawing inspiration from natural processes and a revised relationship with materials. It features five material innovation projects from the Morrama Lab and its partners, each demonstrating product design with a complete lifecycle in mind, from inception to natural degradation.
https://londondesignfestival.com/activities/from-the-ground-up - The London Design Festival's 'From the Ground Up' exhibition, hosted by Morrama, runs from 16th to 20th September 2025 at Hackney Depot, London. The exhibition showcases material innovators reshaping the future of industrial design, focusing on bio-based alternatives and circular systems. It includes talks around applied material innovation and invites companies to participate in panel discussions about the materials on display.
https://londondesignfestival.com/activities/henge-227e2567-d3e3-4836-bb2d-9da45e140e41 - Henge returns to the London Design Festival, unveiling a renewed look for its flagship store on Brompton Road in an immersive space celebrating the brand’s distinctive vision and material craft. The 600-square-metre space, designed to be both a showcase and a meeting point, becomes the stage for Henge’s latest creations and timeless icons. With this renewed presentation, Henge continues to shape a language that is both distinctive and timeless.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/morrama-x-london-design-festival-2025-from-the-ground-up-tickets-1571216523919 - Morrama is hosting 'From the Ground Up', an exhibition at the London Design Festival from 16th to 20th September 2025 at Hackney Depot, London. The exhibition explores how rethinking materials and distribution can lead to a more responsible future, aligning the value of products, lives, and the planet. The event includes talks, workshops, and an opening party celebrating the launch of Morrama's new book, 'From People to Planet: Lessons from a Design Agency'.
https://buildmytalent.com/2024/11/14/five-architecture-and-design-events-taking-place-in-london-over-november/ - This article highlights five architecture and design events taking place in London over November 2024, including the Dezeen Awards party at Hackney Church on 26th November 2024. The events showcase a variety of design and craft-based brands, offering opportunities to explore innovative projects and engage with the design community.
https://londondesignfestival.com/activities/henge - Henge is a participatory sculptural form inspired by Neolithic stone structures, designed to create a space separate from the outside world. The installation invites those who work, live, and visit the area to engage with it creatively, serving as a welcoming location for relaxation, contemplation, and gatherings. Made of 150 million-year-old Jurassic limestone, a zero-carbon, recyclable material, Henge includes music and sound design specifically created for the London Design Festival, encouraging spontaneous performances, music, and poetry readings within and around the structure.

Noah Fact Check Pro

The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may warrant further investigation.

Freshness check

Score: 10

Notes: The narrative is current, published on 11 September 2025, detailing upcoming events from 13 to 21 September 2025. No evidence of prior publication or recycled content was found. The events are unique to this year's London Design Festival.

Quotes check

Score: 10

Notes: The narrative includes direct quotes from Dezeen's editorial director Max Fraser and features editor Nat Barker. No identical quotes were found in earlier material, indicating originality.

Source reliability

Score: 10

Notes: The narrative originates from Dezeen, a reputable design publication known for its coverage of design events and news.

Plausability check

Score: 10

Notes: The events described align with the London Design Festival's schedule and themes. Details about the venues, dates, and participants are consistent with other reputable sources. No inconsistencies or suspicious elements were identified.

Overall assessment

Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS

Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH

Summary: The narrative is fresh, original, and sourced from a reputable publication. All claims are plausible and consistent with other reputable sources. No signs of disinformation or recycled content were found.

London Design Festival
Sustainability
Artificial Intelligence