Upcoming design events not to be missed
The summer holidays are now all but a distant memory, and we are enjoying the last rays of sunshine before we officially say goodbye to the summer. But next season is promising to be quite spectacular with tonnes of unmissable events for lovers of all things design, like us!
Here is a roundup of what’s coming up before the year is out.
A jam-packed diary for September
Let’s start with this month: September. Paris Design Week and Maison & Objet have just come to close in Paris. The latter, a huge international design and interiors trade show, will be back in January 2019 (18-22), the first event in the new year.
If you missed out this time, fear not! You can have a taste of something similar without leaving Italy, as Venice welcomes the first edition of Homo Faber to the stunning island of San Giorgio Maggiore. This international event wants to put the spotlight on the craft of traditional and contemporary art and its close ties with the design world.
The Fondazione Giorgio Cini is opening its doors to the public until 30 September, allowing us a sneak peek of the craftsmen at work inside, with the chance to visit their workshops through virtual reality, and attend concerts, conferences and workshops. This rich programme of events is an opportunity to (re)discover how the very best work, and admire their immeasurable contribution to the world of art and design.
Also in Venice, the Biennale di Architettura is running until 25 October. The title of this year’s event, chosen by curators Yvonne Farrell and Shelley McNamara, is Freespace. The theme pushes architecture to interact with the ways humanity seeks to express itself in a space, and redesigns the context in which it finds dignity, exchange, memory and its relationship with nature, even in the most private, exclusive or limited of situations.
Another event in Italy this month, this time in Bologna, is Cersaie, running 24-28 September. This international bathroom design and surface finish event welcomes over 111,000 visitors every year and is the main event in this sector. Visitors can expect to find all of the latest products and design trends as regards furniture, colour schemes, finishes and decorations.
If, on the other hand, you are planning a weekend break to London, why not visit the London Design Biennale and London Design Festival, running until 23 September? What’s the difference between the two events? The London Design Biennale, inspired by Venice’s famous Biennale, is now in its second year at Somerset House. More than 40 countries are taking part, presenting installations and projects around the theme of “Emotional states” in design. Thought up by Sir John Sorrell and Ben Evans back in 2003, the London Design Festival instead takes place across the whole city, promoting creativity through over 400 events.
After London, we move on to Vienna for another Design Week (28 September-7 October), this year in its 12th edition. This event transforms the Austrian capital, turning it into a design and furniture hub. This year, Poland is the guest country and there will be a space dedicated to it in each of the over 100 events, expositions and workshops.
October in northern Europe
With October comes another Biennale, and another Design Week.
Belgium will host its Biennale Interieur in Kortrijk on 18-22 October. The event will be celebrating its 50th anniversary together will some of the best names in design. It will include a space, “The Floor is yours”, dedicated to emerging talents and new design studios. Alongside the Biennale, the Interieur Festival will also be running until 4 November in an exciting new location, opened especially for the event: the former Groeninge Sint-Maarten hospital.
The focus will switch to the Netherlands in the week of 20-28 October for the Dutch Design Week, the largest event in northern Europe dedicated to design. The city of Eindhoven is the backdrop to this event, which sees some 2,600 designers and 335,000 visitors from around the world every year. There are events to suit all tastes, with a clear focus on the future, new materials and new technologies.
Winter sun in November
In November, on our quest for design events we move to Dubai, which will be running its own Design Week, only in its fourth year but already making its mark on the sector, reputed the main creative festival in the Middle East. Over 200 design-themed events will be taking place between 12 and 17 November, with a focus on everything from architecture and interior design to graphic design. Some of the most awaited events include Downtown Design, the region’s largest design trade fair, and Abwab, an interactive project which focuses on designers from the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia.
And to wrap up?
December is a time for presents and gifts, so why not treat yourself to a flight to the other side of the pond? How about Florida for the biggest trade show dedicated to collectible design, Design Miami? This event is a must for collector enthusiasts who can admire iconic pieces of furniture in a creative environment that also includes lighting and pieces of art. Go on a stimulating journey through some of the very best private and public collections from 4 to 9 December, to make sure you start 2019 bursting with new ideas and inspiration.
