At a glance
Shoreditch becomes a walkable design laboratory, bringing new materials, emerging makers, experimental interiors and more than 100 creative events into one neighbourhood.
Why go
You'll see
Contemporary design · Product and industrial design · Collectible design · Material innovation · Sustainable design · Inclusive design · Furniture and lighting · Interior design
Pace of visit
The scale of the district means seeing everything requires significant walking between various showrooms, galleries, and temporary pop-up spaces.
Don't miss
- Material Matters at Unlocked
- House of ICON at Shoreditch Town Hall
- ND Selects at Kachette
- Wood for the Trees at the Tab Centre
Artlovers Tip
Worth the trip—for design lovers.
This is not a conventional art exhibition and should not be approached as one. It is a dispersed design festival combining strong curated projects with commercial showrooms, product launches and industry-focused events. Inevitably, some stops will feel more like trade presentations than cultural exhibitions.
Inside the exhibition
Description
Shoreditch Design Week launches in 2026 as a new annual event within London Design Festival. It evolves from the Shoreditch Design Triangle, which operated for 18 years, but expands the model through larger curated exhibitions, a broader partner programme and stronger attention to materials, emerging designers and inclusive environments.
Its principal destinations include Material Matters at Unlocked, House of ICON at Shoreditch Town Hall, Design at Work and Neuroplaces at Protein Studios, and ND Selects at Kachette. The surrounding programme extends through studios, hotels, galleries, shops and temporary venues across the neighbourhood.
Material experimentation is one of the defining strands. Exhibitors address low-impact manufacturing, biomaterials, responsible forestry, reuse and circular production. Elsewhere, Neuroplaces considers how workplaces, hotels, public spaces and transport can respond more intelligently to neurodiversity and different sensory needs.
The programme balances recognised designers with younger voices. Its value lies not only in spotting new objects but in seeing how contemporary design is widening its responsibilities—from visual appeal and function to environmental impact, accessibility and emotional wellbeing.
About the designers
The 2026 programme brings together internationally recognised figures and emerging East London talent. Participants associated with its Voices of Shoreditch strand include Bethan Laura Wood, Jasper Morrison, Lee Broom, Martino Gamper, Michael Marriott, Donna Wilson, Rio Kobayashi, Raw Edges and 2LG Studio.
Their practices range from industrial restraint and material research to richly coloured furniture, sculptural lighting and playful interiors. This variety reflects Shoreditch itself: commercial and experimental, established and young, polished and deliberately unruly.
The emerging-design platforms are equally important. ND Selects, Isola Design and Raw Collaborative introduce younger studios and makers whose work may still be evolving from experimentation into production. For Artlovers, these are often the most rewarding discoveries—the designers you encounter before their work enters major collections or becomes familiar through international fairs.
Worth travelling for?
An essential stop for design professionals and enthusiasts who want to see the latest material trends and experimental projects in a vibrant urban setting.
London Design Festival — Shoreditch Design Week
Artlovers relevance
Plan your visit
Shoreditch District
London, United Kingdom
