Design Events in 2013

Even if your are into typography, attending other design events should come in handy, especially since types are usually an important part. To smoothly sail through the hundreds of events around the world, at the beginning of this year Dezeen launched an online guide to the key architecture and design events in 2013: World Design Guide.

It’s easy to use, saves time, and you can search for events by date, name or location. There’s even a secret bonus to this map of events: learning some geography.
As we’re approaching the end of May, today we take a closer look at some of the events taking place in June. It should give everybody enough time to pack and plan in advance.

In June, it looks like Europe will be the main attraction for designers. The Balkans get busy with a couple of design weeks. Belgrade Design Week (Serbia) is a three-day-long conference with speakers from south-eastern Europe and beyond, plus workshops, master classes and design exhibitions. In Sofia (Bulgaria), their Design Week will include city-wide talks, exhibitions and installations providing a platform for Bulgarian designers to present their work and an insight into the design scene in the Balkans.

In Basel (Switzerland) you can join Design Basel/Miami, a collectors’ fair that features selling exhibitions by galleries from around the world plus one-off installations, talks and events. This event conveniently coincides with the Art Basel fair. In Berlin (Germany), it will be time for DMY, when graduates and young brands from over 30 countries present work in the hangars of the former Tempelhof airport. There is also a topical program of talks and lively parties.

Design Week Kortrijk (Belgium) takes place towards the end of June and is the largest exhibition of graduate work by design students in Flanders, plus Belgian companies and industrial designers showcase their latest products. London Festival of Architecture starts in June, but ends in July. It’s a playful two-week programme of events, installations and exhibitions that show what architects have to offer to London’s communities.

How about heading south? Barcelona Design Week is part two of Barcelona Design Festival, promoting design to the public through talks, exhibitions and open studios with a focus on Catalan designers and companies. At the end of May, beginning of June, is time for Habitat Expo, Mexico’s largest design fair encompassing products for hospitality, offices and the
residential market. It also features a conference programme about Mexican interior design.

Forget about weeks, Austrians like to organize Design Months. It happens as we speak in Ganz. This annual festival has a more international emphasis this year. Attractions include fashion shows, concerts and installations. Romanian Design Week takes place these days in Bucharest. Ştirbei Palace hosts a central exhibition while student shows, workshops and parties take place around the city.

But there’s much more. So, pack those adventure fonts, and start designing your summer.