Design exhibition designEX 2014 has been launched with the announcement of renowned trend forecaster, Lidewij Edelkoort as keynote speaker.
To be held at the Sydney Exhibition Centre located at Glebe Island from the 28 to 30 May, 2014, the new venue offers a blank canvas, and an enormous scope and creative license to organisers Diversified Communications Australia.
Since its launch in 1988, designEX has been Australia’s premier interiors, design ideas and architecture event. It is an industry platform from which to share inspiration and innovation – a platform where design is celebrated, design leaders are honoured, and new cutting edge ideas and practices are showcased.
Exhibition manager Kobe Johns says the 2014 show has been carefully curated to provide an exciting program mixing leading edge information and inspiration from Australia and around the world.
“We are working with speakers, collaborators and exhibitors who will encourage our attendees to push boundaries when they return to the studio,” Johns says.
“Not only will Li Edelkoort be giving the keynote speech and present her 2015 forecast on our first day, Margriet Vollenberg and Margo Konings of Dutch practice Organisation In Design will also be joining our speaker series to discuss their Australian and New Zealand design exhibit The Other Hemisphere at Ventura Lambrate in Milan, April 2014.
“The world looks towards the Australian design community for opportunities, influence and inspiration and designEX provides the platform to witness first-hand the latest innovations and meet the people behind them,” Johns says.
Kobe Johns speaking at the designEX launch.
Next year’s designEX will be 20% bigger, of which organisers have been very careful to ensure the quality of exhibitors is on par with the expectations of the industry.
The speaker series at designEX 2014 will have the overall theme of The Future of Design, with three sub-themes on each of the three days. The first day will be on Interiors and trends, the second day technology with a focus on materials and manufacturing, with the third day on architecture: design for wellbeing and health. Each day will have a keynote and workshops.
Other features of the exhibition include The Other Hemisphere, the Entrance Feature – a three-dimensional, tactile environment which incorporates light and texture designed by Studio Design UK – NEST14 and The Connection, which is designed to hold pre-booked meetings between visitors and exhibitors.
The launch event for designEX 2014 was held at INDE Studio.
NEST in 2014 will be curated by Anne-Maree Sargeant and will showcase the work of key players in the independent design scene including Simone LeAmon, Christopher Boots Bespoke, Adam Cornish, Jonathan Ingram of INDE Studio, Ilan El, LAB DE STU: Dale Hardiman/Adam Lynch, and LAB DE STU: Andre Hnatojko.
For more information on designEX, visit the website. Registrations will open in February 2014.
