LFA2026 Neighbourhood
South Kensington and High Street Kensington
PLATFORM: Simone Brewster
The second edition of PLATFORM presents the fascinating work of designer Simone Brewster.
Future Observatory: The Stone Demonstrator
The Stone Demonstrator is a low-carbon construction prototype, which puts pre-tensioned stone building techniques to the test.
Dwellings, Rehomed
Visit our garden and explore a vibrant collection of birdhouses by some of London’s most innovative designers.
Rooted in Kensington – Architectural and Green Audio Trails
Explore the beautiful buildings and verdure around Kensington High Street. Discover our hidden architectural gems and biodiverse green spaces
South Ken Climate & Biodiversity Walk
Explore this world-class Culture Quarter with fresh eyes, through the lens of climate change and urban nature
Innovation Lates
A special Lates bringing together music, making and ideas inspired by innovation from India, in collaboration with Serendipity Arts.
The Great Exhibition Road Festival
South Kensington's annual celebration of science and art, with a weekend of free events for all ages
Rooted in Kensington: Botanical Market
A botanical market, launching the Rooted in Kensington project on Phillimore Walk and exhibition to consider its future transformation
BUILDING LEIGHTON HOUSE
A curator-led tour on the design and architecture of the Victorian artist's home, Leighton House, in Kensingto.
Supported Cities: Mapping Belonging in London.
A hands-on workshop exploring how personal memories, photographs and stories can be mapped across London to create a hand-crafted booklet.
Curator Tour of PLATFORM: Simone Brewster
Join a group tour exploring the stories behind PLATFORM: Simone Brewster, delivered by the display curator Hadeel Eltayeb
BSL Tour: Architecture of the Museum and PLATFORM
Join a BSL-led group tour with Edward Richards to explore the museum building and Simone Brewster’s PLATFORM display.
How can museums create a sense of belonging?
Co-design: How can we design museums to meet the needs of the visitor, creating a sense of belonging?
Friday Late – Rituals of Becoming
Drawing on diasporic memories, colonial legacies and contemporary culture, see how artists reimagine spiritual practices today.
Rooted in Kensington – The Serendipitious Street
Discussion exploring the magic of markets, art and architecture
About South Kensington and High Street Kensington
South Ken Culture Quarter is a thriving hub of scientific, artistic, and academic excellence – a neighbourhood where the arts and sciences converge as a powerful source of inspiration. As the world’s first planned cultural quarter, it is home to some of the world’s most renowned institutions, including V&A South Kensington and the Natural History Museum. This rich cultural landscape extends to High Street Ken – a bustling commercial hub, once the home of BIBA and now to Japan House London and the Design Museum, continuing the area’s legacy of creativity, design and innovation.
This unique combination acts as an inspirational meeting point for arts, design and sciences, playing host to historical architecture, green spaces and numerous cultural offerings, as well as the diverse local neighbourhood community of businesses, galleries and residents who call it home.
Collaboration sits at the heart of the local area, exemplified by initiatives such as the annual Great Exhibition Road Festival, specialist weekend markets and activations to tackle the climate and biodiversity crisis. Belonging sits naturally throughout this local footprint and we have chosen Rooted in Kensington as our strapline, to celebrate the richness and diversity of our residents and visitors as well as the biodiversity of our green spaces – people and plants living in harmony.
Supported by South Ken Culture Quarter and Opportunity Kensington.
We’re proud to be one of the LFA2026 neighbourhoods in a year that marks 175 years since the Great Exhibition of 1851, the foundation of the world’s first cultural quarter. Our mission is to connect people, organisations, and ideas to make this district a better place to live, visit, study, and work.
