London Design Festival today unveils Open Monuments by Melek Zeynep Bulut, a new installation of monolithic urban objects that transforms the entrance courtyard of the Design Museum — London’s leading museum devoted to contemporary design — into a site of ongoing performance, interaction and experimental experience.

These sculptural yet functional structures occupy a blurred boundary between installation and product. They are not simply objects to be seen, but rhythms to be felt. Open Monuments is a place for meeting, mindful reflection and rest, as well as an invitation to interact with the work itself, which never truly begins or ends but instead evolves through the participation of those who encounter it.

Formed from elemental shapes, the point, the line, the circle and the square, the pieces are conceived as “performers” in the city. Their arrangement and role can be reshaped continually by their surroundings and by the movement, behaviour and mood of users. These components initiate open-ended staging, responding simultaneously to the needs of the visitor and the character of the city.

These distinctly contemporary forms are crafted entirely from soil using one of the most ancient construction methods: “rammed earth” – a technique of building dense, monolithic walls by compacting layers of soil using rammers. The layering of the earth in these structures is a metaphor for honouring the passing of time and the building of collective memory, while simultaneously inviting the visitor to create a new language of the present through interaction.

The material’s powerful simplicity and natural texture encourages a slowing down, a building of a new imagination and the establishment of a deeper connection with the surrounding environment and oneself. The marks of interaction, the environment and movement will accumulate gradually, reinforcing the installation’s central idea of a living, evolving public space.
The works also function as urban furniture, providing space for sitting, resting, gathering or simply passing through. At the same time, they create an abstract spatial construct that integrates rather than imposes on its environment. As evening falls, lighting lends the objects a second life, their soft glow extending the invitation into the night and deepening their sense of rhythm and interaction.

Following the success of the London Design Festival’s 23rd edition, which drew thousands of visitors to experience innovative design in the public realm, the Festival is excited to extend its public programming into December.

Building on the impact of Landmark Projects What Nelson Sees by Paul Cocksedge in collaboration with Google Arts and Culture at Trafalgar Square, and Beacon by Lee Broom supported by BROKIS and Materials Assemble at the Southbank Centre, which will continue to illuminate the South Bank until January 2026, LDF presents Open Monuments at the Design Museum from 1 to 14 December 2025.

This extension reinforces LDF’s commitment to bringing world-class design directly into London’s cultural landscape, creating lasting dialogue between contemporary design and Londoners. The installation demonstrates design’s power to transform public spaces and foster meaningful community engagement.

The 2025 Festival is supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies, with Bloomberg Connects being the Festival’s official digital guide. The free mobile guide features content exclusive to Connects: expert commentary, video highlights and curated routes across the city.

OPEN MONUMENTS BY MELEK ZEYNEP BULUT
AT THE DESIGN MUSEUM
1 – 14 December 2025
10am to 5pm Monday to Thursday
10am to 6pm Friday to Sunday
Design Museum, 224–238 Kensington High Street, W8 6AG
Free admission, no booking required