The London Design Festival returns for its 22nd year in September and runs from Saturday 14th until Sunday 22nd. The festival celebrates and promotes London as the design capital of the world, and this year, Bankside will be hosting LDF’s font chapter.
Bankside will see the coming together of all London Design Festival’s typeface designers, from established names to up-and-coming talent. It will be running an exciting range of events (some free of charge) exploring a text-based approach to design.
In addition, Bankside will be running its first LDF-inspired food and drink trail, allowing hungry designers and creatives to experience some of London’s most inspiring gastronomic offers.
Nicole Gordon, CEO of Better Bankside, said, “The London Design Festival is one of the highlights of Bankside’s year. It’s a celebration of the very best in design creativity, a natural fit for ‘London’s Other Side,’ whose melting pot of rebellious energy and difference is largely fuelled by the creatives who work and live here.”
Typography and font event highlights include:
Type Tasting, Citizen M, Bankside, 7:00 pm- 8:30 pm
Discover how typography narrates time, place and memory. Time-travel from the 16th century to Bankside today in this unique multi-sensory talk featuring locally sourced food and beverages to bring your experience to life. Learn about sonic seasoning and how to hack your senses with your host, Sarah Hyndman, founder of Type Tasting and author of the bestselling “Why Fonts Matter.”
Type Thursday, the House of Sport, Bankside, 7 pm-10 pm
Type designers and typography enthusiasts of all disciplines and levels of experience can participate in a panel discussion for Type Thursday. This event will be informative, entertaining, and social, a space for professionals and students to discuss their work and meet like-minded letterform lovers.
Better Bankside presents An Evening of Typeface on 18th September at The Bridge, Bankside, from 6.30 pm to 8.30 pm (Free of charge)
This evening will feature:
- Type Land and how an amazing bespoke font was created for The Globe
- To The Point, their work for “force for good” campaigns, including the Southwark Climate Collective
- The Team and how they reshaped the typeface of one of the largest and oldest savings organisations in the UK
- Plus others…
Other LDF event highlights include:
Work by Dilara Koseyi, Borough Yards, Bankside – runs for the duration of the festival
Engaging digital art by recent London graduate Dilara Koseyi, inspired by everyday life in London and the broad range of emotions the capital city creates.
Pentagram & drain cover rubbing, Borough Yards, Bankside
Drain cover rubbing workshops and a trail to find specific manhole covers will be among fascinating activities led by Pentagram, the official designers of the LDF brand. Pentagram’s new exhibition will reveal a fresh series of prints. Prints will be awarded to winners in the manhole cover quiz. Pentagram has a full programme planned and will be based at Borough Yards.
Ghost Sign guided tour, in and around Bankside – Saturday 14th September, 11 am-12:30 pm
Ghost Signs, a guided tour around the area by Sam Roberts, will explore the intriguing history of Bankside’s past. Sam will tell tales about the stories of the signs and the companies they advertised, backed by historical photographs and other contextual images.
‘Material Matters’ talks & installations, Barge House, Bankside – runs for the duration of the festival
World-leading manufacturers, designers, and makers will contribute to Material Matters, an unmissable programme of talks and installations celebrating the importance of materials in design and architecture. It will take place at the Bargehouse.
Mindful crafting, Arch 23, Bankside (FREE) – midday to 6 pm
Mindful crafting activities will be led by Mylk and Honey Clothier on Saturday, 21st September, free of charge at Arch 23. Drop in and take part!
Project LOVE interactive exhibition, Glazier’s Hall, Bankside – runs for the duration of the festival
Project Love, an interactive exhibition at Glazier’s Hall, will explore love and its meaning.
Spotlight on signage, Borough Yards, Bankside – runs for the duration of the festival
Eco and recyclable signage and wayfinding will be put in the spotlight by Sugar Studio at Borough Yards.
Bankside’s Food and Drink Trail
The Bankside Food and Drink Trail will offer visitors to LDF the chance to enjoy a range of gastronomic experiences, including discounts and tastings from an array of restaurants such as The Distillery, OXBO (above), Guiseppe’s, The Refinery, The Rake, Casa Du Frango, Flat Iron Square, Carrubo and In Horto. A map of trail restaurants will be available from Bankside’s website at the end of August.
To find out more about 2024’s London Design Festival, all the features at Bankside and other highlights all over London, please visit https://londondesignfestival.com and www.banksidelondon.co.uk.