Luke Pearson and Tom Lloyd are no strangers to the British design scene. Co-founders of their eponymous East London studio, the duo are at the helm of a globally acclaimed design, branding and sustainable strategy firm. Since its inception in 1997, Pearson Lloyd has developed an eclectic portfolio that spans from contract furniture for the likes of Teknion, Bene and Allermuir (to name just a few) to specialized products for healthcare and the public realm, as well as innovative aviation solutions for Lufthansa and Swiss Air.

While the firm’s presence and outlook is global in scope, they retain a decidedly local presence. Case in point? As part of this year’s London Design Festival (LDF), Pearson and Lloyd are curating the landmark exhibition “Well Made: What it means today,” which brings together 30 design voices — including Jasper Morrison, Cat Drew, Erwan Bourollec and Anniinna Koivu — to examine the meaning of creativity, sustainability and quality across a variety of design disciplines. Ahead of the festival’s opening on September 14, the pair have also assembled a list of LDF highlights for Azure readers. Read on below for Tom and Luke’s top picks:

Creating a sense of place is a primary human condition and over the last hundred years or so, industrial production has removed us from the use of local and sustainable materials and solutions. The exhibition not only explores materials but methods of construction, moving away from a very linear industrial model of the factory and looking at nature as a source of constructional inspiration. The show investigates biodiversity and biomimicry in design, as well as bio-morphic design, bio-based materials and bio-regenerative design. — Luke Pearson

I have loved this work ever since it was first exhibited a few years ago. Rescaling the craft and aesthetics of pottery transforms it into a new sense of being. Quite mesmerizing. Clustering micro vase and pot forms together leans more towards sculpture than simply function. — Tom Lloyd

As a professional designer, we are often held back by what we know and our muscle memory. The generation that is emerging — naïve, curious, and (hopefully!) free from inhibition — is a barometer for changing views but also acting at the front end of “what if?” in terms of technology or material experimentation. This exhibition is looking at material developments, climate action and the integration of artificial intelligence with design to drive innovation and sustainability. Whilst we may have grounds to fear AI, it’s clear to me it is a tool we must harness to allow us to think collectively and optimize global efforts that otherwise get dispersed and lost in the ether. — Luke Pearson

Design should be political. This review of design as part of protest in this exhibition immediately drew me in. The Beacon structure is a beautiful, if not subversive, example of real world innovation. Creating a symbol of protest that cannot easily be dismantled by the police, it clearly did its work in irritating the powers that be. Design and innovation are needed in all walks of life. — Tom Lloyd

Kingston University, unlike so many design schools these days, celebrates and has a high focus on the act of making. This is evident in the teaching and the resultant creative output. I feel, as a designer, the physical process is vital to understand the nature of materials, their inherent qualities and ultimately how they can be manipulated to become useful, desirable objects. — Luke Pearson

I have known the team at Mitre and Mondays for some time and am always charmed by their thinking and ambition. Their theme this year of “Tolerance” is a lovely mixing of the physical and social sides of what we do as designers. I am intrigued to see their creative response. Look out for their mobile café installation as it moves around the city. — Tom Lloyd

This panel discussion at the V&A looks at the notion of play. I have always said that I am lucky in that as an adult, I have found a career that allows me to play. Play is vital to the act of discovery and insight, so for a designer, it’s a key component of our daily activity; As a human being, it is vital simply in order to maintain a healthy mind. It’s a pleasure activity. But as we grow up, the general perception is that play is something that children do, and that it isn’t functionally useful. It will be interesting to see the discussions of how play relates to the topics of wellbeing, creativity, society and the digital landscape in this V&A initiative. — Luke Pearson

We all know the massive impact of the fashion industry on our planetary health. Fast fashion and hyper fast trends create material obsolescence at an alarming rate. Exhibitions like this, which shine a light on the problem — but also look at ways to tackle it — should be front and centre of the design debate. — Tom Lloyd

As a lover of cultural divergence, I have witnessed the global economy erode the specificities of different peoples’ and locations’ meanings. As we travel the world, there is a global blandness to the high street. The joy of finding something unknown and unfamiliar — or a curious interpretation of something — is a continual need I have and still propels me. Sometimes these objects are ubiquitous everyday things that are simply typologically different and sometimes they are utterly unique. — Luke Pearson

Marina Willer’s beautiful show bringing to life the graphic language of man hole covers across London is going to be a hit. It reminds us to be curious, look around us and enjoy the richness of our built environment. In the show, Marina has created brass rubbings straight off the pavement and turned them into artworks through colour and composition. Stunning stuff. — Tom Lloyd

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The 2024 edition of the London Design Festival runs from September 14-22. Pearson Lloyd’s “Well Made: What it means today” is on at Yorkton Workshops during the entire run of the festival.