From Copenhagen to Vienna to Phoenix, Fall is one of the busiest seasons on the design calendar here in the U.S. and abroad. Starting this week, the international design community will host a series of public festivals packed with enriching programs and events in design savvy cities around the globe.
Beginning tomorrow through September 6, Copenhagen Design Week in Denmark brings together a series of events including the notable design awards, INDEX, with specialist installations from the Danish Design Centre, the Danish Design Association and the Danish Architecture Association, among others. INDEX will have an exhibition on the pier with the winning project of this year’s INDEX Award, presented in the presence of His Royal Highness Crown Prince Frederick and Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Mary on September 2. The week’s theme is “Think Human,” reflecting on a humanist tradition that invites planners, designers and architects to put the individual, the user and the human being at the center of their thinking.
Hop over to Finland on September 9 for Helsinki Design Week, which runs through September 18. This year’s design week will be at a new venue, the Old Customs Warehouse in Katajanokka. Designed in 1899, the venue will be officially open for the first time on the opening night of Design Week. Also new to Helsinki this year is a new style of exhibition, To Declare, curated by Kaj Kalin.
Make your way over to the U.K. from September 18 to September 27 to stop by the V&A Museum for London Design Festival. London will host top names in design including Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec, Ron Arad, Stephen Jones, and Murray Moss for countless special events, talks and exhibitions. Two new installations will be introduced including Architect John Pawson's installation known as Perspectives for Swarovski Crystal Palace and David Chipperfield Architects introduces Two Lines as a contribution to the Festival’s regular Size + Matter project. U.S. bloggers will be on the ground covering the events in a BlogTour hosted by Modenus. First Staged in 2003, the nine-day Festival program is comprised of over 200 exhibitions and events in over 150 venues across the city, including a daily Digital Hub for design bloggers and design writing students.
Amanda Levete
After stopping over in London, continue on to Turkey for Istanbul Design Week, held from September 28 to October 2. Now in its sixth year, the programs will be held at the Old Galata Bridge which connects both coasts of the Golden Horn, an ancient river estuary that runs through Istanbul. The Old Galata Bridge will not only be the venue space but will also be a design object, catapulting Turkish design and art in a fresh, creative way.
HABARI Geschäftsbereich © 2009, Sander
From Turkey, head back west and stop in Austria for Vienna Design Week. From September 30 to October 10, experience Central and Eastern Europe’s take on design. Exclusive to Vienna Design Week, take part in the Passionswege, a design trail through the city of Vienna that makes use of the premises of old-established Viennese businesses. The trail will also lead you to parts of the city not necessarily known for design.
If you still have it in you, head back to the U.S. for Phoenix Design Week(s) in Arizona from October 1 through the 18, attend three design conferences and enjoy a host of different activities at the Phoenix Convention Center. Organizers are finalizing some of the activities, so make sure to check their website or sign up for e-mails.
Fly back east and stop by the Big Apple for National Design Week at the Cooper Hewitt, National Design Museum from October 15-23. Offered in conjunction with the National Design Awards, National Design Week is Cooper Hewitt’s largest educational initiative. The purpose of the week is to draw attention to the ways in which design enriches everyday life. Cooper Hewitt’s Education Department offers free programs to the public during the week based on the vision and work of National Design Award honorees.
If you’re itching to get back to Europe, Dutch Design Week will be celebrating its 10th anniversary in Eindhoven, Netherlands from October 22 to October 30. Co-curators Miriam van der Lubbe (Conceptual Design) and Bruno Ninaber van Eyben (Industrial Design) will work with Katja Lucas (programme manager DDW) to make the final selection from an inspiring array of participating designers and design disciplines. 1500 designers from all over the world are expected to exhibit their work all over the city in a variety of design disciplines. Industrial design, concept design, graphic design, textile and fashion, spatial design, food design and design management and trends will be featured. Visitors will be able to learn about the entire development process from concept to product across the disciplines. Be sure to catch the award ceremony of the Dutch Design Awards as well.
Experience the world through design this fall and let us know where your design travels take you!
