After a successful inaugural edition in 2016, London Design Bienniale returns for another go.
There’s always something going on at Somerset House. This month, it’s a collection of stunning design projects, gathered as part of the London Design Bienniale 2018. Bringing together designers and creators from forty different countries, cities, and territories, the bienniale has set up shop at Somerset House until September 23rd.
This year, the participants are responding to the theme ‘Emotional States’, exploring how design influences our emotions. Through sights, sounds, and even smells, these works shape and respond to our emotions – whilst looking insanely Instagrammable at the same time. Here are Secret London’s top picks of the 2018 London Design Bienniale:
Full Spectrum (Australia)
A crowd-pleasing multicoloured installation, Australia’s offering pays tribute to the nation’s recent yes vote on same-sex marriage. 150 fibre-optic strands form the rainbow, with visitors invited to make ’em dance.
The Silent Room (Lebanon)
On the terrace, away from the hustle and bustle of the main event, you’ll find this giant blue box. The Silent Room is just that: a quiet place, dark and filled with blankets, the perfect spot to escape the noise of the city.
Disobedience (Greece)
Out in the courtyard of Somerset House, you’ll spot something which looks like a bit like a human spine. The Greek submission to the Design Bienniale is a moving sculpture, a tunnel which opens up ahead of you and closes behind you. Not for the claustrophobic.
Time is Subjective (UAE)
A room full of slowly rotating hourglasses is guaranteed to make you think about time. That’s the aim of this installation, which intends to increase our awareness of time by capturing it and seeming to slow it down.
Matter to Matter (Latvia)
Managing to be both moodily monolithic and wonderfully playful, Matter to Matter has proved an early crowd favourite. A big green wall glistens with condensation, and you’ve invited to express yourself by writing or drawing on it. Within two minutes, your creation will be gone, revealing the fleeting nature of art. Or something like that.
Sensorial Estates (Hong Kong)
A Willy Wonka-esque dream becomes a reality, as Hong Kong brings scratch n’ sniff wallpaper to the Design Bienniale. It’s a nod to the city’s name (Hong Kong translates as ‘fragrant harbour’), with scents such as roast duck, egg tart, and opium available for you to sniff out.
Power Plant (Netherlands)
A colourful, LED-lit greenhouse, this futuristic space looks pretty, but also shows the way forward in urban food production and electricity generation. A proper double-whammy.
HousEmotion (Turkey)
It looks like a very basic house, with walls, ceilings, and seating for two. But it’s actually composed of a series of white rods, which light up as the evening darkens; by the end, you’ll be bathed in white light.
London Design Bienniale 2018 runs until September 23rd – you can book tickets here.
Featured image: @london_design_bienniale