London Design Biennale drew over 35 countries to Somerset House for its fifth edition, and the result was the most personal, politically charged show the event has produced yet.
What the London Design Biennale is and why it matters
The London Design Biennale is an international design exhibition established in 2016. It brings together countries, cities, territories and organisations to present design installations that respond to a central theme, addressing major global challenges through creative solutions. In continental Europe, events like this often stay inside the world of specialists. In London, they open to everyone.
Since its start, the Biennale has been held at Somerset House, an 18th-century neoclassical building on the banks of the River Thames. Originally built in the late 18th century and once home to the Royal Navy, Somerset House now serves as London’s working arts centre. The venue’s historic architecture provides a dramatic backdrop for contemporary design installations, with exhibitions taking over the entirety of the building including the Edmond J. Safra Fountain Court and River Terrace.
The three-week international exhibition featured curated installations by over 35 pavilions from around the world, accompanied by a programme of events, thought-leadership talks, performances and workshops. The fifth edition took place from 5 to 29 June 2025 at Somerset House, with Dr. Samuel Ross MBE as the Artistic Director setting the theme “Surface Reflections.”
The theme: surface reflections and what it asked of visitors
Dr. Samuel Ross MBE is the Artistic Director of the 2025 London Design Biennale. The British designer and artist is founder of A-COLD-WALL* and SR_A SR_A, as well as the Black British Artists Grants Programme. Ross set the theme of “Surface Reflections,” which explores how our ideas are fuelled by both our internal experiences and external influences.
The Biennale exhibition was a journey through 35 pavilions by countries, institutional design teams, and curators, presenting soundscapes, immersive experiences, and performances, as well as sculptural and evocative objects. To confront contemporary global challenges, topics included identity, memory, innovation, technology, craftsmanship, ecology, and belonging.
Now in its fifth edition, the Biennale continued to present itself as a vehicle through which to explore how design can engage with and respond to some of the world’s greatest challenges. This was achieved through a number of “pavilions,” a sequence of discrete exhibits within the large Somerset House venue.
Must-see pavilions and installations
Taking over the Nelson Stairs in Somerset House was one of the most praised pavilions at this year’s show. “Paper Clouds: Materiality in Empty Space” presented suspended clouds and a dress made of Japanese washi paper with stone speakers constructed from 350 million year old fossils that played new music by violinist-composer Midori Komachi.
Poland’s pavilion won the Biennale’s “Theme” medal for its interpretation of Ross’s “Surface Reflections” prompt. A series of wooden panels carved with patterns of different symbols took on new depth when decoded. Each symbol represented a period of time, and through repetition on a panel they amounted to the time spent waiting in different situations, showing how the act of waiting can reflect social inequality.
Malta’s pavilion, URNA, won the Golden Medal for most outstanding contribution to the 2025 London Design Biennale. A spherical, reconstituted limestone installation seemingly floating above a dark podium, with a short film screening and a series of printed matter catalogues, the project was announced as the most outstanding overall contribution to the exhibition. For visitors from France or Spain, the Mediterranean perspective in this work carried a particular resonance.
Artist Rachel Botsman’s “Roots of Trust” offered another unforgettable moment. On display on the lower floor at Somerset House was a reinterpretation of the first known organisational chart, created in 1855 for the New York and Erie Railroad Company. Unlike the structured pyramid hierarchy familiar today, this early chart challenges traditional ideas of hierarchy, power and trust in systems and society.
Expert perspective on the biennale’s global role
The London Design Biennale represents something genuinely rare in the cultural calendar: a space where design is treated not as decoration but as a political and social tool. The theme “Surface Reflections” pushed participating nations to go beyond aesthetics and ask harder questions about who their design serves. Pavilions from countries as different as Oman, Malta, Poland and Japan all arrived at the same territory: memory, loss, waiting, and what we choose to preserve. That convergence was not accidental. It reflects a global moment in which designers are being asked to respond to instability with honesty. For visitors, especially those coming from continental Europe, the experience at Somerset House offers a model for how a national design culture can assert itself without nationalism, using craft and material to speak across borders.
Industry perspective, design and cultural programming professionals in London
The programme beyond the pavilions
The Global Design Forum is an associated programme of lectures, talks, panel discussions and thought-leadership events. For the 2025 edition, the Forum took place from 10 to 12 June at King’s College London under the title “Design and the Invisible,” featuring speakers including Dr. Samuel Ross, Mariana Mazzucato, Kengo Kuma and Will Gompertz.
The LDB Sessions brought together exhibitor-led activities from designers and curators participating in the Biennale, including talks, tours, workshops, screenings and more. Sessions were free with a Biennale admission ticket, or could be purchased for £5 without an admission ticket.
The Biennale opened daily from 11am to 6pm, with a special Friday Late on 27 June 2025, including live music, food and drinks and special guests. The late opening on that Friday made the event accessible to people who work during the day, and the courtyard atmosphere in the summer evening was well worth attending on its own.
Practical information for planning your visit
General admission tickets were priced at £27 from Monday to Thursday and £29 on Friday through Sunday. Concession tickets for students, disabled visitors, job seekers, those aged 60 and over, and teachers were available at £24. Youth tickets for visitors aged 16 to 25 were available for £10 on weekdays, and children aged 12 to 15 paid £5.
Large bags and suitcases are not permitted inside the exhibition and there is no cloakroom facility on site. Plan accordingly and travel light. Somerset House sits directly between the Strand and the Thames, with Embankment and Temple stations both within a short walk.
Biennale ticket holders enjoyed 10% off at Café Pétiole at Somerset House and 10% off at Toklas Bakery on Surrey Street, just off The Strand. Both are good options for a meal before or after the exhibition.
Conclusion: why the London Design Biennale belongs on every design lover’s calendar
The London Design Biennale at Somerset House proved again that London holds a unique position in the global design world. It is one of the few cities where a French visitor, a British student, and a designer from Abu Dhabi can stand in the same room and find their own culture reflected back at them. The theme “Surface Reflections” explored how ideas are fuelled by both our internal experiences and external influences. From sensory installations to radical ideas, visitors discovered a powerful exploration of identity, emotion, tradition, legacy and environment. The London Design Biennale returns every 2 years. When the next edition opens its doors at Somerset House, do not wait until the final weekend to book your ticket.
