London – During London Design Festival 2020, SAP, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and LDF will curate and promote a selection of stories and supporting resources to empower and equip the design and creative community to seize the opportunity of the circular economy as a framework for positive global impact.
Over the course of the nine days of the Festival, this series of moments will act as the spark that begins to shift designers’ attitudes and practice. The series of stories and resources will have an aim to:
- Demonstrate that a sustainable future starts with design
- Explore and explain what circular design is, helping people to understand the basic principles, benefits, and routes to getting started
- Help the designers and creatives identify as part of a group that can influence the products, services, and systems around us
- Share insights on how technology can help designers make informed decisions based on the long term impacts of materials and future circularity of their products
- Collectively identify the steps we can take in the global design and creative community to more circular design solutions to life, with impact at the scale needed to meet global challenges
- Showcase the people and organisations at the forefront of the circular design approach, to highlight what ‘good’ looks like, to inspire others to make the same journey
- Demonstrate how circular design is a rewarding endeavour for the individual, both personally and professionally
- Facilitate knowledge exchange between designers and innovators from different scales, industries and geographies
The schedule of talks, panel discussions and seminars will include a diverse range of contributors from some of the world’s largest brands that have the potential to make significant impact to global materials flows; independent designers at the start of their careers who are seeing the circular economy as a core pillar of their value set; and the agencies that guide today’s standards and investment when it comes to design innovation.
Following the Festival, the stories will continue to multiply, and will be presented at design promotion events across the world, culminating at London Design Festival 2021 with an installation and exhibition, before being presented at COP26 at Glasgow in November 2021.
Stephen Jamieson, Head of Sustainable Business Innovation EMEA North at SAP, says, “91% of material resources are lost into landfill or leaked into the environment after consumption. Smart design is the first step to stopping this loss and making better use of our planet’s resources. SAP has been helping our customers manage resources productively for more than 40 years.
“We see a real opportunity to bring together the creative power of design with insights and data intelligence on the impact of materials throughout their lifecycle to create a more sustainable future. Together with the Ellen Macarthur Foundation and the London Design Festival we look towards the UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow (COP26) to drive impact in managing the interconnected issues of environmental waste and climate change alongside the global pandemic.”
London Design Festival 2020
The 18th edition of London Design Festival returns to the capital this autumn from 12 – 20 September 2020 as a symbol of London’s determination to maintain its creative and cultural leadership.
Since its inception in 2003, London Design Festival has played a key role in bringing together the greatest thinkers, practitioners, retailers and educators to celebrate and promote design annually across the capital, and to put a spotlight on London’s creative brilliance.
London has the largest creative economy of any city in the world, and its design reputation is internationally renowned. One in six people in London work in the creative industries and it has been the fastest growing sector of the economy in recent years, but the effects and impact of the pandemic has disproportionately affected the creative industries, causing a catastophic setback to the sector.
Following a number of cancellations and closures, the Festival this September will provide a platform for the design community to showcase work at a time when it is needed more than ever, helping to stimulate the creative economy and support young and emerging designers as well as more established names. While international travel continues to be affected, this year’s Festival will have a strong local focus and will be a Festival for Londoners. In addition to Landmark Projects and Festival Commissions, Partner events across the Design Districts will enable visitors to walk between shows and discover something new.
Physical installations will take place alongside virtual exhibitions, and a digital edition of the Global Design Forum will bring the latest design thinking to a global audience and allow the widest possible access to creative content. This year will also see the introduction of a new digital portal for freelancers to promote their work across the Festival’s platforms.
London Design Festival Director, Ben Evans CBE says, “The show must go on. Showcasing is essential for the sector to survive and this year, more than ever, we are determined to offer every opportunity for designers to be seen and heard.”
For more information, visit www.londondesignfestival.com
Join the Conversation #LDF20
To check out the Sea Things exhibition from London Design Festival 2019, visit: https://news.sap.com/uk/2019/10/looking-back-at-london-design-festival/
Visit the SAP News Center. Follow SAP on Twitter at @SAPNews.