London’s EC1 district will once again transform into a global design hub as Clerkenwell Design Week returns from 20 – 22 May 2025.
The 14th edition is set to be the largest yet, introducing three new venues: The Charterhouse and Charterhouse Square, Studio Smithfield and Church of Design at St Bartholomew the Great. With over 15 venues and 160 local design showrooms, the event promises an immersive experience featuring cutting-edge product launches, installations, exhibitions and talks.
Made from bricks
Leading this year’s festival is a major new public artwork by British artist Alex Chinneck, set in Charterhouse Square. This special commission marks Chinneck’s return to sculpting with brick and playing with architectural elevations. Meanwhile, Albion Stone and Hutton Stone return to Clerkenwell Green with a new pavilion designed by Hawkins\Brown and engineered by Webb Yates. Brick from a Stone: Arch Revival features two nearly four-metre-high freestanding vaulted arches. One is constructed from sandstone bricks in various hues from Hutton Stone’s quarries, while the other is crafted from Heritage Portland Stone bricks from Albion Stone’s Dorset mine. Each arch is composed of a single layer of 102mm-thick stone bricks, demonstrating the material’s versatility as a load-bearing architectural product.
Scandi design leads the lineup
The 2025 festival continues its global outlook, with Scandinavian brands leading the international showcase. Danish powerhouse HAY will present its latest collections by Erwan Bouroullec and Doshi Levien at MillerKnoll’s St John’s Square showroom, while String Furniture makes its festival debut at Old Sessions House. Lighting innovations also take centre stage, with Muuto presenting a new table lamp by Benjamin Hubert, and Mater showcasing its Terra collection, crafted from its patented waste material Matek™, a blend of recycled electronic waste and coffee shells.
This year’s British Collection sees Pluck launching a kitchen furniture range in collaboration with Schotten & Hansen, featuring richly hued Douglas Fir veneers. Also making waves in British design, Origin Furniture introduces a steel-framed seating collection by David Irwin, upholstered in Camira’s innovative tech-knit fabric.
The festival’s international scope expands with the debut of a Spanish Collection at The Charterhouse, showcasing brands such as Naturtex, Gandia Blasco and Viccarbe, while the new Austrian Collection at Detail presents the latest from Mafi, Forcher, Vertessi and Sheyn. The popular Danish, Italian and German Collections will also return, celebrating the design prowess of their respective nations.
First speakers announced
The festival’s official talks series, Conversations at Clerkenwell, returns with a stellar lineup of speakers, including Sabine Marcelis and PearsonLloyd. This year, it will be hosted at The Charterhouse, with the auditorium designed by Kapitza. The programme features 18 sessions, including three daily talks hosted by Dezeen. Curated by brand consultant Katie Richardson, the series offers thought-provoking discussions led by top industry figures and upcoming design talent – covering topics from colour and interior trends to heritage renewal and AI in design.
Clerkenwell Design Week 2025 takes place across EC1, London, from 20 – 22 May.
Visit clerkenwelldesignweek.com – registration is now open.
