5 MINUTES WITH: Ben Evans

The LDF director on why this year’s event is even more pivotal for the design industry

What do you hope visitors will take away from this year’s event? We hope it will surprise and delight while inspiring audiences to think about the vital role design plays in shaping the way we live, work and experience the world around us.

Has the festival focused on catering to a more local audience this year? We are likely to have fewer overseas visitors but our programme remains ambitious. There will be a number of digital activations, virtual shows and online programming for audiences who cannot physically attend. Meanwhile, for our home audiences, events across the 10 Design Districts will enable you to walk or cycle between shows to discover something new locally and explore other areas, too.

Has the pandemic changed events and festivals like LDF forever? They now play a more important role by providing a platform for designers and brands to connect with audiences. Following lockdown, we have seen the effects of virtual fatigue, with audiences craving physical experiences. However, the hybrid model is likely here to stay. Not only does it make a festival’s programme accessible on a global scale, but the innovative technologies used over the last 18 months give designers a chance to experiment and engage with audiences in new and exciting ways. What are you personally excited about at this year’s LDF? Architect Arthur Mamou-Mani will create a beehive installation for the atrium at Fortnum & Mason using bioplastics. And at King’s Cross, Peter Marigold, professor of design and entrepreneurialism at London Metropolitan University, has invited creatives to design an object that uses cardboard to elevate this humble material. Visitors can make their own to take home, too.