6 must-see exhibits at the London Design Festival 2017

The London Design Festival (LDF) will return to the city from September 16 – 24, 2017. This year marks the festival’s 15th celebration of local and international creativity. A huge number of artists will be showcasing their designs, from architecture to fashion, with installations hosted in locations such as Somerset House, the V&A Museum and the streets of Brixton. Click through to see our selection of the exhibits you can’t miss.

1. Villa Walala

This year’s LDF landscape project aims to bring some colour and jocundity to London. Designed by artist Camille Walala in partnership with British Land, the installation is a soft castle sculpture composed of materials such as vinyl, nylon and PVC. Villa Walala is a playful, interactive piece of art, created with the purpose of exciting curiosity and relieving the stress of city work life.

Villa Walala will be displayed for the entirety of the festival in Exchange Square, Broadgate.

Perfume has long been recognised as a powerful craft, influencing how humans experience the world and each other since the days of Ancient Egypt. Perfume at Somerset House will focus on 10 scents crafted specifically for the exhibition by pioneering perfumers. Each scent has its own room, designed to reflect the inspiration behind the perfumes and the ingredients used to create them, forming a sensory experience that takes visitors on a journey from a French catholic mass to the Saharan Desert, exploring the effect of perfumes and the places and emotions they evoke. The last week of Perfume will coincide with the LDF, so if you haven’t seen it yet this is your last chance.

Perfume is open until September 23 in the East Wing of Somerset House, Strand.

This free exhibition, created by Space Popular, uses digitally printed glass to challenge the boundaries of material and envision the future possibilities of glass within architecture. The title of the exhibit pays tribute to an exchange of letters between German architects in the early 18th century, in which they imagined the potential of this capricious building material. This installation hopes to take up the mantle and use modern technology to fulfil the dreams of Bruno Taut and his fellow correspondents. A must-see for those keeping a keen eye on the ever-increasing use of glass in superyachts.

The Glass Chain is open now and on display until September 29 at Sto Werkstatt, Clerkenwell.

Design Frontiers combines the work of 30 different designers in an extraordinary collaboration. This free exhibition is a celebration of the numerous ways in which design is an instrumental part of our lives, from automotive design to graphics. The variety of work is undoubtedly impressive – Moving Mephitic Air uses art and technology to understand pollution in London while Luminous Reflections (pictured) by Tord Boontje and Swarovski Crystals allows visitors to gaze upon the beauty of rare, un-faceted crystal chandeliers. This group exhibition is a showcase of the best and most innovative designers in the world right now.

Design Frontiers can be viewed September 18-24 in the Terrace Rooms & West Wing Galleries at Somerset House, Strand.

Standing in the nine-storey atrium of the ME London hotel last year, Brodie Neill was inspired to use the space to communicate a significant message. The result of this moment of ingenuity is this year’s exhibition Drop in the Ocean, which combines Neill’s unique furniture designs with advanced video projections to reflect the devastating effects of ocean pollution. This immersive exhibition aims to provoke discourse around this important issue, accentuating the immense impact that a single action can have on our oceans and marine life.

Drop in the Ocean will be hosted in the ME London hotel, Strand, September 14-30.

Held in the distinguished setting of Syon Park House, Decorex International will undoubtedly be the main attraction of the LDF. The luxury interior design specialist will be celebrating its 40th anniversary in an expansive exhibition combining the works of both budding designers and renowned industry names. The central attraction this year, Disruptive Dining, will consist of four dining displays, elaborately decorated with a floral touch. Talks and seminars from design experts will also be held alongside the exhibition.

Decorex International will run September 17-20 at Syon Park House, Brentford.