UK design festival Clerkenwell Design Week (CDW), which takes place in London from May 23-25, will feature installations from British artist Steve Messam and East London-based PLP Architecture.

As part of CDW Presents, and exploring the theme ofsustainability, there will be Symbiocene Living: Mycelium Building Block by PLP Architecture.

It is an interpretive, artistic mycelium installation encouraging the public to engage with fungi architecture, and will be situated outside Clerkenwell & Social on St John’s Square.

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The modular feature will be made of mycelium blocks with a 3D printed timber shell, the blocks – each similar in size to a watermelon – will be re-arranged to create a different formation on each day of the festival.

Headlining this year’s CDW Presents programme will be specially commissioned installations by British artist, Steve Messam.

Exhibiting both nationally and internationally, he is known for his large-scale, inflatable artwork reimagining our everyday surroundings.

At the festival, the County Durham-based artist will bring his distinctive public art – sponsored by 3D design software company, SketchUp – to St John’s Gate of the Order of St John.

This site-specific piece, titled Gateway and measuring 6m (height) by 15.5m (length), will feature 27 giant spikes hand-sewn in a blue textile.

It forms part of Messam’s ongoing art series taking over historic architectural sites – and inviting the public to examine their environment in a new light through its ambiguous shape and size.

“Gateway offers a dynamic and unforgettable sensory experience,” said Steve Messam.

“While the spikes tower above the public as they pass through the gate, the bespoke piece traces the internal space between the arches before bursting out beyond the bounds of the building.”

In addition to Gateway, visitors will have the opportunity to experience Messam’s artistic treatment of the iconic telephone boxes – sponsored by Budvar. K6, originally designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott for the coronation of George V in 1935.

K2 – also designed by Scott in 1924 – was the first national telephone box, many of which were initially installed in Clerkenwell.

Spread over three locations, the former is located on Cowcross Street, and the latter can be found on Clerkenwell Road as well as outside St James’s Church.

Taking place across the whole of Clerkenwell and, for the first time, merging with its sister show, Design London, the 12th CDW 2023 sees a total of 12 exhibition venues, 600 events and over 300 design brands.

It will cover furniture, kitchens and bathrooms, materials and surfaces, textiles, decorative accessories, and lighting.

Marlon Cera-Marle, design division director of Media 10, commented: “After more than a decade of championing design excellence and launching the career of many young talents, CDW has cemented itself as a global design destination and one of the most important events among the architecture and design community.

“We’re thrilled to be back with an even bigger line-up, including some of the industry’s most dominant figures.

“From thought-provoking installations to exciting new names and product innovation, we look forward to bringing an abundance of creativity and world-class content to the heart of Clerkenwell this May.”