Fleet Street Quarter, the Business Improvement District (BID) for one of London’s most iconic and historic areas, is proud to announce its role as a Neighbourhood for London Festival of Architecture (LFA) 2025, bringing art, design and community to the heart of the City of London. Central to this year’s programming is Whispers, an innovative sculptural installation by Polish designer Oskar Zięta, celebrating the enduring creative partnership between Poland and the UK through a fusion of technology and public engagement. The sculpture’s unveiling will officially open the design and architecture strand of the UK/Poland Season 2025 and launch the 2025 London Festival of Architecture.
Running through June 2025, the LFA is a month-long celebration of architecture and city-making. The festival provides a platform for emerging talent and sparks discussions around the built environment as part of its mission to democratise design through public participation. This year’s theme, Voices, amplifies the diverse perspectives which shape architectural perception and practice. Fleet Street Quarter, the city’s renowned media hub which spans Chancery Lane, Holborn, Ludgate Hill and New Street Square, is proud to be part of this city-wide celebration of design, heritage and place.
Launching this year’s programme of LFA activity within Fleet Street Quarter, Whispers will be unveiled in Ludgate Hill on 29th May during a thrilling live event, providing a rare opportunity to experience cutting-edge design innovation and Zięta’s unique technology in real time. Known for creating dramatic design pieces utilising the durability of metal materials, Zięta’s inflated metallic installation will serve as a striking centrepiece in the area, reimaging materials through technological innovation and encouraging audiences to see new perspectives, mirroring the Quarter’s own transformation from historic print district to a modern hub of business, innovation and culture.
Whispers uses Zięta’s pioneering FiDU (Freie Innendruck Umformung) technology, which evolves flat metal sheets into lightweight, three-dimensional forms using internal air pressure. This method has been adopted by the automotive industry and is set to redefine the practices of contemporary engineering within architecture and infrastructure, accelerating the concept of smart cities.
Zięta commented: “Whether spoken softly, in hushed tones, or even in whispers – sitting together in a circle, we can break down barriers and connect meaningfully. Our aspiration is for Londoners to join us in breathing life into Whispers…Designing public and private spaces, as well as entire cities, would be meaningless without the voices that shape them. These voices are numerous, often contradictory, and sometimes silent. Let architecture empower people to speak, whether in a firm voice or a whisper.”
The installation is presented by Fleet Street Quarter BID in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland, the Polish Cultural Institute in London, Let’s Art Foundation, and On & On Designs, as part of the UK/Poland Season 2025, organised in collaboration with the British Council. This unique artistic partnership celebrates the contribution, creativity and progression of Polish designers, engineers and artists, invigorating the UK-Poland cultural dialogue to create opportunities for the next generation of creators.
Lady Lucy French, CEO of Fleet Street Quarter BID, commented: “Having hosted flagship installations during the London Festival of Architecture for the last few years, we are delighted to support this important event again. With such a strong cultural and architectural heritage in the area to showcase, and ambitious plans for its future, we are proud to continue to be a LFA Neighbourhood. We have been working closely with the Polish Cultural Institute, one of our BID members, On & On Designs and our other partners to bring this incredible commission to our area as part of the Festival and to mark the UK/Poland Season 2025, which will be celebrated across the UK. Whispers proudly exemplifies the ethos of the Festival and celebrates the fantastic creative and cultural heritage of our area and the wider city.”
Fleet Street Quarter is undergoing a rapid transformation, with significant investment and redevelopment reinventing this historic part of the City. The involvement in the London Festival of Architecture is central to the district’s varied cultural programming this year, putting Fleet Street back on the map as a thriving, dynamic centre of economic growth in the city. The regeneration project will honour the area’s rich history, whilst reimagining the district for the modern era, transforming the Quarter into a vibrant destination of both legacy and opportunity.
Whispers and other events in Fleet Street Quarter form part of the wider programme of LFA 2025, which includes talks, tours, performances, and installations across London.
For more information about Fleet Street Quarter’s participation in London Festival of Architecture 2025 and the full programme in the area, please visit: https://www.londonfestivalofarchitecture.org/2025-area-focus/fleet-street-quarter/
