Five standout art installations from Houghton Festival 2026
The Dezeen team was on the ground at Houghton Festival. Here are five standout installations from the festival, including a timber-and-thatch pavilion and a laser installation featuring a vintage campervan.
Set on the grounds of the historic Houghton Hall in Norfolk, England, the annual music festival featured an arts programme with new and returning commissions spanning sculpture, architecture, light and sound.
This roundup captured by the Dezeen team spotlights five of Houghton Festival's most interesting installations.
The Dezeen team captured must-see installations at this year's festival
Among the installations was Water Tower, a timber-and-thatch pavilion designed by studios Cella Collective and Mitre & Mondays.
Informed by Houghton Hall's historic 1772 water tower, the structure was constructed using sustainably harvested reed from Scottish RSPB reedbeds, highlighting how regenerative design can support biodiversity and traditional craft.
After the event, the structure will be dismantled and reassembled each year as a recurring feature of the festival.
Another installation from the festival was Full Beam by light artist Chris Levine, a returning laser installation featuring a chrome-plated vintage Volkswagen campervan floating on the estate's lake.
Expanded from its 2025 debut at last year's festival, the work continued Levine's exploration of light and its ability to transform public space into "a moment of stillness."
Elsewhere, artists Nicole Gordon and Ke Peng's installation featured a suspended mirrored circle of rotating panels that playfully captured and redistributed a controlled beam of light, scattering reflections through the surrounding trees.
Another commission, by artist and DJ Call Super, took the form of an open-air living room constructed from felled trees from the Houghton estate. The exhibit explored the decline of communal "third places" and the rise of celebrity culture while inviting festival-goers to gather and interact.
Other festival installations featured on Dezeen include architectural installations from Burning Man 2025, standout pavilions from Glastonbury Festival and Benni Allan's suspended glowing canopy for last year's Houghton Festival.
Houghton Festival took place at Houghton Hall in Norfolk, England, from 6 to 9 August 2026, bringing together music, art, architecture and design across the historic estate.
The photography and videos are by Simon Volt unless stated otherwise.
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