Global design events in October (update)

(Relaxnews) -

From Explore Design in Canada to Philadelphia Design, Grand Designs Live in England and the Open House weekend in New York -- this month's design events are all about involving the public.

Vienna Design Week

October 1-11

Eleven days packed with product launches, including furniture, industrial, graphic and experimental design, have been organized together with local as well as international designers such as Arik Levy for Swarovski Crystal Palace and Michael Young.

Vienna/Austria

Site: www.viennadesignweek.at

Design Philadelphia

October 2-4

With over 125 events and 500 contributing designers, this event takes place across the city in boutiques, studios, galleries, warehouses, universities or simply on the streets of Philadelphia and focuses this year on all things sustainable with initiatives such as Urban Revitalization or Social Responsibility.

Philadelphia/USA

Site: designphiladelphia.org

Designblok 2009

October 6-11

Prague, Czech Republic

This 11th annual event exhibits new pieces from the world of design with showcases in selected showrooms, boutiques, design studios, and galleries across Prague. With 212 presentations, exhibitions and events at 63 participating venues and 30,000 visitors.
http://designblok.cz/2009/en/about-designblok

Grand Designs Live

October 9-11

Based on the eponymous TV series, Grand Designs Live, now in its fourth year, is a consumer exhibition featuring all you might need to build, renovate or furnish your home. Celebrity experts and interactive features have made this one of the UK's most popular interior design events.

Birmingham/UK

Site: www.granddesignslive.com

Seoul Design Olympiad 2009

October 9-29

Seoul, South Korea, 1988 Jamsil Olympic Stadium

Seoul hosts a design conference, exhibition, competition, and festival with the theme "i-Design," encouraging people's participation-not just industry insiders. Speakers including Ross Lovegrove, Daniel Libeskind, Yves Behar, Kim Young-Se, and others. There's a 48-hour design challenge, young designers market, car design show, street furniture exhibit by citizens, and art installations from more than 20 schools. The competition's focus is on low carbon and natural energy.

http://sdo.seoul.go.kr/eng/

Open House New York

October 10-11

At America's largest architect and design event, the public can embark on individual tours of usually closed or unknown spaces in the city (such as the Apollo Theater) and submit their best pictures afterwards in the event's first photography competition.

New York/USA

Site: www.ohny.org

Explore Design

October 14-15

North America's First Design Education Fair for Youth aims at introducing young people to all design disciplines such as video/game design, furniture, architecture, fashion, graphic, and interior design, guided by experts and design 'celebrities.'

Toronto/Canada

Site: www.exploredesign.ca

Design Art London

October 14-18

Running concurrently with London's Frieze Art Fair, a pavilion dedicated to the best in modern and decorative arts as well as design will be set up in the city's Berkely Square, showcasing the works of 45 artists and designers.

London/UK

Site: www.designartlondon.com

Prince Philip Design Award winners announced

October 15

Nine designers are in the running for the prestigious design prize, set up by the husband of Queen Elizabeth II in 1959 -- they include David Adjaye, who designed the Nobel Peace Center in Oslo, fashion designer Hussein Chalayan, and Red or Dead design label founder Wayne Hemingway.

London/UK

Site: www.designcouncil.org.uk

Dutch Design Week

October 17-25

For a full week, the whole region around Eindhoven (including Bergeijk and Helmond) hosts design events for the Dutch and international community in order to support the country's world-renowned designers. Award ceremonies, exhibitions, and shows take place at various locations including Strijp-S, Designhuis, and Smalle Haven.

Eindhoven/Netherlands

Site: www.dutchdesignweek.nl

Stirling Prize for Architecture announced

October 17

The prestigious award, whose previous winners include David Chipperfield and Norman Foster, will go to one of the six projects shortlisted by the Royal Institute of British Architects, including new buildings by Tony Fretton, Rogers Stirk Harbour, and Eric Parry.

London/UK

Site: www.architecture.com

National Design Week

October 18-24

New York, New York
The Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, a member of the Smithsonian Institution, hosts a series of programs focused on design, offering free admission to design museums across the US. In New York, the week starts with a Teen Design Fair and closes with the National Design Awards gala, chaired by architect Richard Meier. Winners include fashion (Francisco Costa for Calvin Klein Collection), Communication (The New York Times Graphics Department), institution (Walker Art Center), lifetime achievement (IDEO), as well as landscape, architecture, interiors.

http://www.nationaldesignawards.org/2009/nationaldesignweek

Form Matters

October 21 - January 31

Form Matters at the London Design Museum will take a new look at architect David Chipperfield's work in his first UK retrospective, including his ten-year restoration project of the Neues Museum in Berlin, which had been significantly bombed in World War II.

London/UK

Site: www.designmuseum.org

Icograda World Design Congress

October 24-30

Organized by Icograda, the world body for professional communication design, the congress held in Beijing will feature presentations, discussions and workshops. Highlights include the Beijing Typography Exhibition, which will focus on ways how to move traditional calligraphy into the digital age.

Beijing/China

Site: www.beijing2009.org

100% Design Tokyo

October 30 - November 3

Focusing on bringing contemporary design to the mainstream, 100% Design Tokyo is the Japanese equivalent of the London event started back in 1995. Close to 100,000 visitors are expected at this year's fair.

Tokyo/Japan

Site: www.100percentdesign.jp

Major design exhibitions ending in October

Telling Tales: Fantasy and Fear in Contemporary Design at the Victoria & Albert Musuem in London (ends October 18)

Ron Arad: No Discipline at the Museum of Modern Art in New York (ends October 19)