Menu

Inside Red Book 2022

By Sujata Burman

In 2021, we launched the Red Book, with the aim of bringing design stories of London to the fore. For this second volume, we’re levelling up – with twice as much content and even more for you to get inspired by in the world of design.

This edition of Red Book is particularly special, as it’s released during the LDF 20th anniversary. Back in 2003, the first Festival had just 35 events – as we write this, the activities for this year are nearly 300. “Design was in a different place when we did our first event,” says Ben Evans, director of LDF. “There has been a migration of talent, we have become more collaborative. Most importantly, a mass-informed design audience has emerged.”

LDF is open to all: from design studios in pockets of Walthamstow, to galleries in Mayfair – it’s a true picture of the multiple layers of the city.

Red Book travels to areas that you might not know so well, but that have seen their own evolutions. From Earl’s Court and its hidden design details to Park Royal, a district that launched last year as a community of artists and makers in one of the UK's largest industrial estates. We head to St Giles, a location that was once marshland and is now a place where all kinds of people come together. And, visit Brompton, King’s Cross and Pimlico, too.

We’re also exploring new technologies, with Sony Design's super realistic virtual scenery that encompasses the full spectrum of design disciplines. This year’s Medal winners reflect that breadth of creativity: one is a climate activist, another a world-renowned photojournalist.

LDF’s 20th anniversary is a moment to look ahead to the next decades of design. While doing so, we’re investigating how the industry might have changed (or not) in terms of equity, and how we can drive that forward. Plus, we’re doing a deep-dive into how design has shaped a huge movement in London: food.

In The Spotlight takes us through just a handful of our partners, framed within the context of Design For Something New, Design For Alternative Thinking and Design For Expansive Learning – there’s sure to be something for all curious minds.

Curiosity is also at the heart of the Global Design Forum, which looks at those shaping our futures. Did you know the public can influence how our railway stations look? Or, would you like to learn more about our unconscious biases? Read all about it here.

Check back to find out how to get your hands on a copy of LDF Red Book 2022.