“We Can Do It”: Victoria Broackes on London Design Biennale 2025

Victoria Broackes, Director of London Design Biennale speaks to us in an exclusive interview on design and the power of coming together at London Design Biennale 2025.

In the buzzing heart of Somerset House, London Design Biennale (LDB) 2025 unfolds like a tapestry of innovation, diplomacy, and storytelling. With over 35 nations participating, the fifth edition of the Biennale, curated around the theme Surface Reflections, explores how ideas are fuelled by our internal experiences and external influences, asking both creators and visitors to consider what lies beneath the surface — of materials, ideas, and of nations. The exhibition is ongoing till June 29, 2025.

At the helm of this vibrant affair is Victoria Broackes, Director of the LDB and a long-time advocate for the transformative power of design.

We caught up with Victoria during the busy opening days to talk about the vision for this year’s edition, the deeper currents that drive the Biennale, and why—despite a world in turmoil—design might just be the key to imagining better futures.

SCALE: Victoria, first things first—how has the Biennale been so far?

Victoria Broackes: It’s been absolutely wonderful—fantastic, really. A busy few days with the jury arriving, selecting the winners, followed by the press and public openings. There’s this extraordinary atmosphere, people buzzing with ideas, conversation, and connection.

SCALE: You mentioned that the theme this year is “Surface Reflections.” Could you tell us more about how that shaped the curatorial direction?

Victoria: The theme was set by our Artistic Director, Dr Samuel Ross MBE, founder of A-COLD-WALL* and SR_A SR_A. It’s open to many interpretations. He talks about the idea of what’s on the inside showing through to the outside. This allows exhibitors to approach the theme from diverse angles, but it also gives the audience a framework, a lens through which they can experience each pavilion. That’s important because the works are so different, and yet the theme threads them together.

SCALE: Design festivals seem to be coming up in every country or city these days. Do you think we risk diluting their impact? How does London Design Biennale stand apart from the others?

Victoria: That’s a good question. I remember, actually, when I was in Doha I sat on a panel and the four panelists I shared stage with had a biennale of their own. But each one of them had a different model and certainly the one in Doha was very much about local design while we are not about local design. We focus on international design.

I think firstly, what sets London apart is that we’re modeled more like the Venice Biennale. We focus on national, city, or institutional pavilions that bring work to London from around the world. Ours is international at its core. When we were founded in 2016, we were the only design biennale based in a capital city, and I believe we still hold a unique space in that respect.

The second thing is that while this is a design Biennale yet the broadness, the breadth of the definition and the kind of ideas that are manifested and illustrated here goes much beyond. We are talking of world issues like that of water security or what we want to do with data or sustainability for the future, building materials, mining and waste. These are pressing world issues that we’re all interested in and debate and discuss about in great detail at the London Biennale.

Also, we have a special partnership with Chatham House—the Royal Institute for International Affairs. Their focus is on international collaboration and policy, while ours is creative exchange. Bringing these together, creatives, policy-makers, academics and design, can really lead to change.

SCALE: That brings us to impact. How do you ensure the Biennale has a lasting effect and that it is not just a one-month spectacle?

Victoria: That’s something we think about a lot. This can’t just be a pop-up event. We want to leave a mark. People have told me they remember specific pavilions from past editions—some experience they had here that changed how they think. And that to us, is a huge win.

We also emphasise a lot on programming. Nearly every pavilion has activations beyond the installation itself—talks, performances, workshops. Exhibitors don’t just stand behind their pavilions; they engage, with the visitors, with other participants. Those interactions go deep and often linger long after the event.

SCALE: You’ve seen the Qatar Pavilion this year, created by VCUarts Qatar. What are your impressions?

Victoria: I’m thrilled! I first visited Qatar for the Doha Design Biennale in March 2024 and again in October to see the projects developing at Liwan. The quality of the work from VCUarts Qatar is exceptional, and they’ve made a beautiful pavilion. It’s their first time here at LDB, and we’re very excited to have them. Their presence adds a fresh, thoughtful voice to the conversation.

SCALE: This is your third edition as director. How does 2025 differ from previous years? What are the challenges and how have the previous editions helped as a framework to a better Biennale.

Victoria: Oh, it’s been a ride! In 2021, in the midst of Covid, I thought things couldn’t get tougher— and then they did. Uncertainty globally, the cost of participation — it’s a challenge, for us as well as the exhibitors. I think it’s very hard for exhibitors, it’s very hard for countries because of uncertainties, shortage of money. It is harder than ever to make it happen and yet it also feels more important to do these things. But that’s also why it feels more vital than ever to do this. To come together.

The atmosphere here at Somerset House is magical. With more than 35 nations represented here on the ground; the exhibitors are talking to each other, you talk to the people next door, it’s an incredibly strong network that grows here now. The ability to sort of travel the world right here in the heart of London is wonderful.

There’s a palpable sense of optimism this year, strangely enough. Many pavilions are looking to the past to understand the present and imagine a better future. That spirit of possibility, of “we can do it,” is infectious here. I remember interviewing Yoko Ono years ago, and she kept saying that—we can do it. That stuck with me. This Biennale makes me feel the same way. We can, as nations coming together, right here in London, pronounce that there is hope in the world, even in the midst of all that is happening.

So, you could even say that the Biennale is all about diversity, bringing people together and this raises the spirit of the entire design community and makes space for optimism in the world.

SCALE: Let’s talk about challenges. What’s been the hardest part of putting together this year’s Biennale?

Victoria: Honestly, world politics—and particularly American politics, if I can be honest, have made it difficult. The instability affects everything, from attracting sponsors to confirming participation. It’s not even the decisions themselves, it’s the not knowing. Uncertainty creates paralysis.

SCALE: On a more practical note—how does the Biennale impact the UK economy or design industry?

Victoria: It’s multi-layered. First, there’s the soft power aspect. Pavilions act as cultural diplomats. One great example: in 2023, Taiwan’s pavilion caught the attention of UK officials. That led to real trade talks and deeper collaborations. So, soft power turns into hard value.

We also run a Research & Innovation strand, where universities and research centers show projects that are just shy of hitting the market. We bring in potential funders, collaborators—people who can push these ideas into the real world. Design plays a role in science, tech and policy making. It’s all interconnected.

This year we have the UK Civil Service Policy Unit, the Design Council, and the Institute for Global Prosperity involved. They’re working on democratic decision-making models—designed systems! It’s expansive, but it’s still design.

SCALE: For someone visiting the Biennale for the first time, which pavilions would you say are unmissable?

Victoria: I’m delighted to say my favorites have won medals this year. Malta’s pavilion is extraordinary. It’s a massive sphere that rethinks memorials and death rituals—prompted by Malta legalising cremation only recently. It’s both beautifully done and deeply thought-provoking.

Then there’s Oman. It’s their first time participating. They’ve created this stunning juxtaposition of ancient water vessels and data storage—drawing parallels between what we carry and protect, from water to digital memory. It’s poetic and visually striking.

Poland’s pavilion is another must-see. It explores the idea of waiting—how shepherds used to whittle wood while waiting for lambs to be born, and how that act of waiting differs today, especially for migrants. It’s a meditation on time, patience, and injustice—layered and powerful.

SCALE: That sounds deeply meaningful—more than design, it’s a form of storytelling.

Victoria: Exactly. It’s not just about aesthetics. These are pavilions that make you pause and reflect. They shift your thinking. That’s the magic of the Biennale. That’s why we do this.

From radical material innovation to deeply personal narratives, the 2025 Biennale is a proud celebration of design’s power to bring us together and help us imagine the future we want to build.

All Images Courtesy @London Design Biennale 2025