London Design Biennale 2020 has revealed programme and further speakers for its first-ever summit - a series of talks and panel conversations led by artistic director Es Devlin, will explore the theme of "Resonance", informing the pending agenda of the 2020 London Design Biennale.

London Design Biennale Summit 2020 will be held between 8-27 September 2020. The Biennale's first-ever summit will be held on June 25-26, 2019 and will explore design’s potential on sustainability, politics and the digital world. 

25 speakers, including BBC, Bjarke Ingels, Google, GLA, Nesta, New York Times, The Dots, The V&A, UNESCO & Wired Magazine will be participating in the summit in 4 venues: Google, Foreign Office, Groucho Club & Somerset House. 

Somerset House. Image courtesy of LDB

Bjarke Ingels, Francesco Bandarin, Justine Simons, Eliza Easton, Suhair Khan are among the speakers for the London Design Biennale Summit 2019. 

The day of discussion and debate will take place at Google HQ in King's Cross, with Summit talks addressing the impact of design: its power to cross borders, bridge cultures and alter behaviours and societies. 

The talks will look at how design can resonate in the fields of sustainability, politics, the digital world and how the work presented at the Biennale can resonate to global audiences with leading thinkers from design, government, and the diplomatic community.

Conversations will continue at a prestigious government reception at Durbar Court, Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Durbar Court - Foreign Office - Westminster. Image courtesy of Nick Garrod/Flickr

Summit ticket holders will join a select audience of Ambassadors and senior contacts from UK embassies of over 30 countries; and leaders of business and institutes.

Francesco Bandarin, former Assistant Director-General, UNESCO. Image courtesy of LDB

Mike Gunton, Creative Director, BBC Natural History Unit - the world’s largest production unit dedicated to wildlife filmmaking - will lead a keynote speech on the power and reach of programmes such as Blue Planet and Planet Earth to resonate with, and change perspectives of, audiences internationally.

The role design can play in proposing potential solutions to climate change and sustainability will be explored by leading thinkers including Francesco Bandarin, former Assistant Director-General, UNESCO.

Eliza Easton. Image courtesy of LDB

Justine Simons, Deputy Mayor for Culture and the Creative Industries; Meherunnisa Asad, Director of the Lel Collection; Eliza Easton, Head of Policy at NESTA; and Sarah Mann, Director of ADF, British Council; will look at the relationship between design and politics across the globe.

The connections between design, data and the digital world will be confronted by Suhair Khan, Google Arts & Culture; Greg Williams, Editor, WIRED UK; and Pip Jamieson, Founder, The Dots.

Bjarke Ingels. Image © Jonas Bie

Es Devlin & celebrated architect Bjarke Ingels will be in conversation, looking to the future of sustainable development practices that bring architecture, design, urbanism and nature together.

The day will culminate in a prestigious government reception at the Durbar Court, Foreign & Commonwealth Office. Informal conversations around the theme will continue at an exclusive VIP after party at the Groucho Club, Soho.

Day Two will take place at Somerset House, London Design Biennale’s home. A series of surgery sessions, workshops and guided tours will build on the previous day’s discussions, allowing designers and embassies to develop ideas for participation at London Design Biennale 2020.

Justine Simons, Deputy Mayor for Culture and the Creative Industries. Image courtesy of LDB

"As designers, thinkers, artists and makers operating in a global, digital era, we have the power to influence and amaze our audiences into profound shifts of perspective. Our aim is for this Summit to be a collaborative response to the urgency surrounding this inimitable moment in time," said Es Devlin. 

Will Sorrell, Managing Director, London Design Biennale said: "The Summit will gather together some of the best international thinking, with a mix of design thinkers, policy makers, and experts in international relations. This is a unique blend of speakers, and we look forward to furthering the conversation around the positive impact of design in the global challenges that we face."

Top image: The Edmond J. Safra Fountain Court, Somerset House. Image © Kevin Meredith. 

> via London Design Biennale