Clerkenwell Design Week will be returning to London’s EC1 on the 19-21 May 2026. Marking the 15th anniversary of the global design festival, a curated series of large-scale installations will be launched called Design Interventions.
Following a call-out from CDW to emerging and established designers and architects for ideas for innovative structures, the strongest submissions will be installed across Clerkenwell. These will encourage interaction and spark conversations about materials and the built environment, organisers say, while activating EC1 with striking, immersive moments throughout the festival.
In addition, a major highlight this year will be the expanded CDW Awards, presented with the digital design magazine Design Milk. The CDW Awards will not only celebrate the best new products and innovations but also the disruptors, dreamers and ‘doers of design’.
Design Interventions: an opportunity to reflect and connect
These site-specific, interactive installations, created by the design and architecture community, will appear in the parks, streets and green spaces of Clerkenwell, as well as in the festival’s venues. Many of these pop-up structures will provide a place to sit, reflect and connect with others while exploring structural and material concepts.
One of the many Design Interventions selected for this year will be on Clerkenwell Green. The Fountain of Technicolour Beads, has been created by Hong Kong-based multi-disciplinary studio One Bite Design. This immersive terrazzo installation integrates spatial design with social awareness by focusing on Colour Vision Deficiency (CVD).
International design names
Across all venues, CDW will feature hundreds of design brands, showcasing furniture, lighting, textiles, surfaces, home accessories and product design. Confirmed exhibitors include String Furniture, Moroso, Swedese, Dornbracht and Vincent Sheppard. Collections from Austria, Denmark and Italy will also return.
Hundreds of showroom partners are an essential part of Clerkenwell Design Week as they host product launches, talks and workshops. A small taste of participating showrooms include: Actiu, Andreu World, Boss Design, Camira, Domus, HAY, Hansgrohe, Herman Miller, Humanscale, J.Adams & Co, Knoll, Muuto, Milliken, Modus, Iris Ceramica, Knoll, Tarkett and Cosentino.
One such showroom belongs to Italian tile manufacturer Florim. The location will feature a newly conceived window display with a completely redesigned installation. The space showcases collections created in collaboration with international designers: Formatech, developed with Gensler; Rinascenza, by Nicola Gallizia; and SensiColore, designed by Matteo Thun & Partners.
Each collection interprets ceramic material through a distinct vision, says Florim. Formatech focuses on advanced technology and modularity. Rinascenza expresses a timeless and tactile sensitivity. SensiColore introduces a refined and architectural approach to colour. Together, they are said to reinforce Florim’s position as a reference point for innovation, design excellence and exclusivity in the international surfaces sector.
Completing the offer is the FLORIM stone range, said to represent the highest versatility of technical porcelain stoneware. Suitable for multiple applications – particularly kitchen and bathroom worktops – it is available in the large size 160×320 cm, in three thicknesses (6, 12 and 20 mm), and in over 50 shades and finishes. The range is said to combine high performance, design freedom and refined aesthetics, further strengthening the brand’s authority in next-generation surfaces.
Clerkenwell Design Week 2026 takes place across EC1, London, from 19 – 21 May. More details about the festival will be announced in due course.
www.clerkenwelldesignweek.com
