Clerkenwell will once again transform into London’s most vibrant design district as Clerkenwell Design Week marks its 15th edition, a milestone that celebrates both the festival’s history and its forward-looking vision
This year, CDW introduces a bold new curatorial strand: Design Interventions – a series of large-scale, site-specific installations set to animate Clerkenwell with immersive, thought-provoking moments. Alongside this, the festival unveils an expanded awards programme and a strong line-up of international brands, reaffirming its status as a global showcase of contemporary design. Registrations for Clerkenwell Design Week are now open, secure your free ticket here to experience the installations for yourself.
Clerkenwell Design Week 2025
Shaping space: The debut of Design Interventions
Design Interventions is the headline addition for 2026. Following an open call to emerging and established designers and architects, selected proposals will be installed across parks, streets and festival venues, encouraging conversation around materials, social impact and the built environment.
Fountain of Technicolour Beads by One Bite Design
Highlights include:
Fountain of Technicolour Beads by One Bite Design on Clerkenwell Green – an immersive terrazzo work exploring Colour Vision Deficiency (CVD).
The Crinkle-Crankle Bench by StudioFolk near St James’s Church, crafted from natural stone bricks in sculptural crescent forms.
The Pulse of Becoming, a ‘living’ installation by Portsmouth-based graduates, featuring chia seeds that sprout over the course of the festival outside Haberdashers’ Hall.
Together, these installations promise to create spaces where visitors can pause, reflect and connect.
The Pulse of Becoming installation
Commercial focus and returning favourites
Commercial interiors have always been central to Clerkenwell Design Week’s identity. In 2026, the programme expands with new venues dedicated to leaders in this field. Workplace at Goldsmiths’ and Workplace on the Square introduce two focused platforms for office environments, contract furniture and the evolving workplace landscape. Material Source Studio also joins the line-up, offering architects and interior designers direct access to an extensive library of material innovation and specification-led solutions.
Old Sessions House returns as a dramatic setting for brand activations and presentations. Exhibitors including Berlin Acoustics, Ultrafabrics, Pointhouse, and Swedese will unveil new collections amid the building’s layered historic interiors.
Light once again takes over the House of Detention, showcasing contemporary lighting brands such as Industville, Fritz Fryer, Minale, Nordlux, Spark & Bell, and Tom Raffield. The darc thoughts talks programme also returns, creating a forum for discussion on lighting design, technology, and creative practice.
Detail & Finishes returns to St John’s Priory Church, featuring refined interior products, architectural hardware, and surface solutions within the building’s distinctive ecclesiastical setting.
Light – House of Detention
Historical and iconic venues that meet contemporary creativity
Clerkenwell Design Week has always excelled at pairing cutting-edge design with historic architecture, and 2026 continues that tradition.
Church of Design at CDW 2025 – Photography by Sam Frost
Church of Design at CDW 2025 – Photography by Sam FrostThe Museum of the Order of St John joins as a new venue, hosting Interiors from Spain.
St Bartholomew the Great becomes the Church of Design once more, with exhibitions from brands including Roche Bobois, DEDON and MAGIS Spa, beneath the suspended installation Confluence by Fung+Bedford.
At the House of Detention, the Light exhibition returns, welcoming visitors with the 3D-printed sculpture Loom Light.
Across venues and 180+ showrooms, international brands such as String Furniture, Moroso, Dornbracht and Herman Miller will present new collections and host talks and launches.
String Furniture at Old Sessions House during CDW
CDW introduces its first ever app
In a significant shift, CDW 2026 introduces a state-of-the-art app, replacing the printed guide and physical tickets. The app will act as a personalised navigator, allowing visitors to tailor itineraries, discover exhibitors aligned with their interests and explore events in real time – a fitting move for a festival focused on forward-thinking design.
With specialist guided tours for architects and interior designers, multiple curated talks programmes, food and drink partnerships and immersive public installations, Clerkenwell Design Week continues to reflect the scale and ambition that has defined it for over a decade.
Clerkenwell Design Week 2026 takes place 19–21 May. Register for free here.
