London Design Festival

First staged in 2003, the London Design Festival is one of the world's most important annual design events. The Festival program is made up of over 300 events and exhibitions staged by hundreds of partner organizations across the design spectrum and from around the world. This year the festival is from September 14-23, with events and venues all throughout the great city of London. Marketplaces such as 100% Design, exhibits, gallery shows and interactive public installations are some of the fascinating events happening throughout the festival. For a complete itinerary of events click here to download a PDF of the 2012 Guide. 

BE OPEN Sound Portal arrives in the Square, Trafalgar Square, 19-23 September

This September sees the arrival of the BE OPEN Sound Portal in Trafalgar Square as part of the tenth anniversary of the London Design Festival 2012.  Situated within one of London’s most iconic public spaces, the BE OPEN Sound Portal is an entirely new kind of installation that focuses on the design that you can’t see – that of acoustics and sound – rather than visual spectacle.

An alien black, rubberized structure will be home to finely-tuned audio technologies aimed at delivering pure acoustic experiences to visitors in the middle of Trafalgar Square - one of the busiest and aurally chaotic environments in London.

Every day, the BE OPEN Sound Portal will host one of five leading musicians and sound artists, each of whom has been specially commissioned to create a unique soundscape. Expect a range of vibrant sonic and musical responses, from the dramatic sounds of the natural world, such as glaciers breaking up, to exquisitely detailed electronic music.  Cocooned from the external noise and bustle of the city, the BE OPEN Sound Portal allows visitors to experience a very different environment, one created by sound alone.

Yesterday's launch of the BE OPEN Sound Portal was made even more spectacular by the appearance of a flashmob orchestra! While there may not be an orchestra loitering when you drop by (who knows though, this is London after all), the ingenious audio installation is now open so do make sure you pay a visit to Trafalgar Square.