‘Forest For Change’ London Design Biennale 2021, London

On 21 June, the ‘Forest for Change’ installation aimed to raise awareness of the United Nations’ Global Goals through a mystical forest journey in the courtyard of Somerset House, home to the London Design Biennale, in the heart of London. This marked the first major public event following the easing of Covid-19 lockdown restrictions.

Conceived by Es Devlin in response to a dictum by the building’s original architect that no tree should be planted in the courtyard, a forest of 450 juvenile trees was created by Coopers Hill. At its heart lay a magical glade, where visitors can encounter an art installation celebrating the 17 Global Goals agreed upon at COP25 in Paris by the United Nations. The forest attracted 28,000 visitors to explore the Global Goals in person, and over 1,000 people shared their messages for change.

The creation of this event space offered an educational insight into the effects of climate change on tree selection for urban environments. UN Goal 15, which focuses on protecting all life on Earth, highlights the importance of trees and forests as the lungs of the planet. Trees play a vital role in sustaining life on Earth and combating climate change. This served as Coopers Hill’s starting point, while ensuring that the forest’s purpose was to shroud Es Devlin’s central art piece at its heart, like a hidden glade in a mystical forest.

The installation garnered widespread media coverage, with articles in over 20 national and international outlets, including The Financial Times, Evening Standard, CNN, Forbes, Time Out, and Reuters, as well as broadcast features on BBC, ITV, Sky, Times Radio, and BBC Radio 4’s Front Row.