The Festival Village was designed as the social hub of the Festival of the World, a summer arts festival organised by London's Southbank Centre in 2012. There were three key principles. First, that the space was regenerative, bringing new life to an underused part of the Southbank site. Secondly, that the space was conceived and delivered through the participation of the local community. Lastly, that the space would function as a hub for all the 4000 artists performing as part of the festival.