The Barbican Centre, one of London’s most iconic cultural and conference venues, is set to make waves at IMEX Frankfurt 2025. As the host venue for the 34th World Design Congress, the Barbican will highlight how it’s redefining sustainable events by designing a planet-positive event.
A Partnership to Redefine Sustainable Events
Alongside the Design Council, the official UK host of the 2025 Congress, the Barbican will share how event design can support climate action. Attendees at IMEX will hear from Matthew Burgess. He is the Senior Events Manager at the Design Council and works closely with the Barbican team to embed environmental and social responsibility, focusing on planet-positive event design, into every layer of the upcoming World Design Congress.
Sustainability Meets Creativity
The Congress, set to welcome more than 1,000 global delegates during the London Design Festival in September 2025, goes beyond traditional conferencing. Through the Design Safari experience, delegates are encouraged to extend their UK stay, connect with design-led projects, and make the most of their travel footprint.
By using its Design Value Framework, the Design Council is assessing each choice—from programming to partnerships. ESG experts at Stitch are also guiding the Congress toward responsible impact. The Barbican’s Renewal programme, a long-term sustainability initiative, aligns seamlessly with these ambitions, ensuring they effectively design a planet-positive event.
A Lineup of Global Visionaries
The World Design Congress has already announced an exciting roster of keynote speakers. Confirmed names include:
- British designer Thomas Heatherwick
- Charlot Magayi, Earthshot Prize winner
- Economist Mariana Mazzucato
- Bas Van Abel, founder of Fairphone
- Anab Jain, co-founder of Superflux
- Leyla Acaroglu, sustainability provocateur
- Leyland Maschmeyer, COLLINS co-founder
- Architect Indy Johar
The speaker curation by Ve Dewy, a leading executive design strategist, ensures this Congress is more than just discussion—it’s a turning point in designing a planet-positive event.
Barbican’s Commitment to a Sustainable Legacy
Charlie Smith, Deputy Head of Sales at the Barbican, shared the broader vision: “We’re not just hosting this Congress. We’re helping shape what a meaningful, responsible gathering looks like. IMEX is our chance to show how our venue, with its iconic architecture and sustainability focus, is delivering real, measurable legacy.”
The Barbican’s Renewal programme is focused on long-term impact. It’s not about expansion—it’s about transformation. This goal reflects the Design Council’s Design for Planet mission, making this collaboration a model for future-forward event delivery.
Visit the Barbican at IMEX Frankfurt
IMEX Frankfurt 2025 attendees can visit the London stand to engage with the Barbican team. Learn more about how the venue is not only supporting the World Design Congress. It is also actively designing a planet-positive event that addresses today’s critical environmental and social challenges Just Now News.
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