Here’s our highlights from Austrian design month – Designmonat Graz 2021

Design Month Graz makes an incredible comeback this year, with 91 workshops, exhibitions, and experiences gathering the best of the creative industry in one place, and under one theme: “BETTER FUTURE”. Here are 6 highlights from the event that we have selected for you!

Since 2009, Design Month Graz has been promoting the local creative scene to the outside world, exhibiting innovative projects and highlighting the importance of design to the world. It aims at elevating the meaning of design, from its aesthetic value to its transformational power in the economy and society.

From May 8 to June 6, Graz, the Austrian UNESCO City of Design welcomed a rich program that featured the best of the creative industry, inviting studios to look into ways in which design can contribute to building a better world. The event manifests through different formats, among which The DESIGN IN THE CITY, exhibitions such as ‘FANTASTIC PLASTIC’ and the ‘4th BLOCK’, lectures, and workshops.

Here are 6 highlights of Design Month Graz 2021:

FANTASTIC PLASTIC

Developed by the Moscow Design Museum (MDM), the FANTASTIC PLASTIC exhibition raises awareness about the value of plastic as a raw resource, featuring different approaches to the reuse of the material and its integration in a sustainable product cycle through the innovative works of 27 international and local design studios.

Among these projects are EcoBirdy’s children’s furniture, Adidas’ sportswear collection made from recycled plastic, “Freitag” bags, and Hot Wire Extensions’ lamps and furniture.

The FANTASTIC PLASTIC exhibition raises awareness about the value of plastic as a raw resource – Images courtesy of Design Month Graz

EcoBirdy’s children’s furniture and Adidas’ sportswear collection made from recycled plastic – Images courtesy of Design Month Graz

SUREAL. SUSTAINABLE RESPONSIVE ART LAB

The exhibition features the SelfSightSeeing Company’s work for the new Merkur Campus; the international headquarters of Merkur Versicherungs AG in Graz. The exhibition showcases the studio’s sustainable approach and creative processes through a synergy of business, art, architecture and people.

For instance, Itshe Petz & Io Tondolo, the duo behind the SelfSightSeeing Company used historic doors, former Air Berlin trolleys and antiques for the office furniture, and designed individual every single meeting and social room according to the needs of the various departments.

The “4TH BLOCK”

An exhibition featuring 70 posters from the collection of the Triennal. The “4th Block” is a designer’s exhibition held every three years in Kharkiv, Ukraine, and it aims at bringing together the latest innovation in poster design. It was founded by Oleg Veklenko as a result of his experience as a relief worker after the Chernobyl disaster and its title refers to the 4^th block of the reactor of the nuclear power plant that has exploded.

As part of Design Month Graz, Illya Pavlov, a Ukrainian graphic designer, curates the exhibition in the Contipark underground parking garage.

Interested to know more about the Austrian design scene? Don’t miss It’s time for design to fix real-world problems – Interview with EOOS NEXT.

The “4^th block” features 70 posters from the collection of the Triennal – Images courtesy of Design Month Graz

DESIGN IN THE CITY – To a better future: Start with a bottle

The DESIGN IN THE CITY format invites visitors to discover and buy designs in thirty select shops. On special tours with the Graz Guides, the aim is to discover the diversity of design in the city.

One remarkable example of a well-designed product is the brand 24Bottles, working to reduce the impact of disposable plastic bottles on the planet. “We think that good aesthetics can be a lever to convince people to adopt healthy behaviours and lifestyles,” explain Giovanni Randazzo and Matteo Melotti, founders of 24Bottles. The Design Store MuR is selling these bottles while narrating the story of the brand.

The DESIGN IN THE CITY format invites visitors to discover and buy designs in thirty select shops – Images courtesy of Design Month Graz

24Bottles, a remarkable example of a product working to reduce the impact of disposable plastic bottles on the planet – Images courtesy of Design Month Graz

MEET THE DESIGNER: CHRISTIAN FRIEDL

Designer and carpenter, Christian Friedl tells the story of a 200-year-old table, under the title: “200 years of Ash”, in the Lanzer Loft in MP 09. “For almost 200 years I stayed patiently and persistently in my place, where I went through many beautiful as well as hard and rough times,” narrates Friedl.

Christian Friedl tells the story of a 200-year-old table, under the title: “200 years of Ash” – Images courtesy of Design Month Graz

THE CITY AS A DATA FIELD

2020 shifted our way of living from the old “normal’ to social distancing and remote working. Running until August 29, 2021, The City as a Data Field raises questions on digital living environments and how we are handling global networking, “Big Data” and “navigating through data”.

The audience can follow the story through three performative formats that invite active participation, the first is an exhibition in ten themed rooms, showcasing international art installations. The second is a ten-week discussion event on the topics of the exhibition rooms, taking place in the Graz Museum and Graz Museum Schlossberg. And the last one is themed tours on topics such as data economy, privacy, and security.

Design events are making a comeback this year! Head to 70,000 visitors join Design Shanghai in one of the first physical design shows of the year.