Barbican welcomes World Design Congress 2025 as doors open for two-day “Design for Planet” gathering
The Barbican welcomes more than 1,000 delegates for the World Design Congress 2025 today.
World Design Congress 2025 will explore how design can accelerate action on the climate and nature crisis. Hosted by the UK’s Design Council on behalf of the World Design Organization, the Congress returns to London for the first time in over 50 years and brings 1,000 members of the international design community together at the Barbican Centre, with both in-person and online participation.
Across keynotes, conversations and hands-on “hive” workshops, the programme examines the Design Council’s Design for Planet mission, spanning circularity, net zero and the regeneration of places, while fostering collaboration between designers, business leaders, policymakers, researchers and educators.
Highlights include headline speakers such as Lord Norman Foster, alongside contributors including Thomas Heatherwick, Mariana Mazzucato, Charlot Magayi and Bas van Abel; the Congress will also feature a special presentation of the WDO World Design Medal 2025 honouring Dieter Rams.
“Welcoming the World Design Congress to the Barbican is a proud moment for our team and for London,” said Charlie Smith, Deputy Head of Sales at the Barbican. “Our incredible architecture, world-class spaces and commitment to sustainable events make this the ideal home for a Congress dedicated to ‘Design for Planet’. Together with the Design Council, we’re set to host two days that spark action as well as inspiration.”
Matthew Burgess, Senior Events Manager at the Design Council added: “We’ve designed this Congress to be a catalyst – bringing designers, business, policymakers and communities together to accelerate climate action. From headline keynotes to hands-on hive sessions, the programme is built to share practical tools, foster collaboration and leave a measurable legacy. We’ve applied our Design Value Framework to track the impact of our decisions across the two days, and working with the Barbican we’re modelling the future we’re advocating.”
Over the next two days the Barbican will feature inspirational keynotes, provocative discussions, intimate conversations, unconferences, book launches and activations, onsite and online, underscoring the venue and the City’s role as a global hub for world-leading design and events.
