Samuel Ross appointed artistic director of London Design Biennale

British designer Samuel Ross has been named artistic director of the London Design Biennale, a design and innovation festival that is being hosted in the English capital from June 5 to 29, 2025.

The event, which is to take place at Somerset House, will follow the theme ‘Surface Reflections’, exploring how ideas are “fuelled by both our internal experiences and external influences” and how revelations in life inform who we are.

In a release, Ross, who is the founder of A-Cold-Wall, said of the concept: “The elder and child versions of ourselves, in spirit, harvest experiences pooled from the same well.

“The time between each visit to the well does not distort the composition of the water. A different reflection, or means of extraction, may occur over time, due to the compound's characteristics. Generations of design-thinkers portray similar behaviours.”

As part of his contribution to the Biennale, Ross is to debut a series of new sculptural works in the courtyard of Somerset Hour, which will be exhibited over the event’s three-week duration.

In her own statement, director of the Biennale, Victoria Broackes, said: “2025 will be an important year for design in the UK. We are absolutely delighted to be working with Samuel Ross as artistic director for London Design Biennale fifth edition, combining his vision with creativity and innovation from all over the world.

“London Design Biennale 2025 will present an international showground for original and imaginative ideas, solutions and thrilling opportunities for enriching exchanges.”