Get Out and Get Started!

7 Top Design Occasions

Mark your calendars! Go support an indie artist in the Windy City at The Vintage Bazaar, or get a unique handmade great at DC’s Crafty Bastards — it is never too early to begin thinking about holiday gifts! Get motivated in Austria at Vienna Design Week, or go on an architectural tour of Austin’s sleekest insides. If you’re looking for ways to be motivated, or just enjoy getting out amid other layout lovers, here are 7 events on our short list from round the world.

Branch Handmade

Handmade Roller Skate Tea Towels by Branch Handmade – $9

FLEA MARKET — Sept. 18, 2011
The Vintage Bazaar
Congress Theater
Chicago, IL

Classic and flea market lovers unite! Visit The Vintage Bazaar and find that one-of-a-kind decoration item for your house, or a fabulous outfit to enhance your wardrobe. With more than 70 Midwestern vendors, for example Apartment 528, featured above, there’s something for everyone. You’ll find furniture, sweaters, housewares, tabletop items, costume jewellery and more. Plus meals from local Chicago vendors, beer, wine and cocktails, DJ amusement by CHIRP, a photobooth to commemorate your own experience, and a pop up barbershop so you can get groomed as you shop.

warmth.com

EXPOSITION — Sept. 22-23, 2011
CONFERENCE — Sept. 22-24, 2011
IIDEX/NeoCon Canada
Direct Energy Centre
Toronto, Canada

Get motivated by 350 exhibitors showcasing the newest innovative products and services at Canada’s biggest national design expo and seminar, IIDEX/NeoCon. Throughout two action-packed days, more than 15,000 interior designers, architects, facility managers, property and business executives will come together supplying lots of media opportunities from every area of design — workplace, hospitality, retail, health care, lighting and sustainable design.

Talks include an architecture keynote by Matthias Sauerbruch, a hospitality keynote on the”Evolution of Hotel Design” and a layout keynote by Dominique Jakob and Brendan MacFarlane. You’ll also have the chance to attend the CEU accredited international seminar program, product previews, tours and seminars.

vam.ac.uk

EXHIBITION — Sept. 24 – Jan.15, 2012
Postmodernism: Style and Subversion 1970-1990
V&A Museum
London, England

The V&A’s major fall exhibition will be the first in-depth survey of art, architecture and design of the 1970s and 1980s, featuring over 250 objects. Postmodernism will examine one of the most controversial phenomena lately art and design history, and how it evolved from a provocative architectural movement in the early 1970s and went on to affect every area of popular culture such as art, movie, music, graphics and style.

While you’re at the V&A be sure and check out the London Design Festival screens and installations, such as ‘Timber Wave’ by Amanda Levete Architects at the Cromwell Road Entrance.

viennadesignweek.at

FESTIVAL — Sept. 30-Oct. 9, 2011
Vienna Design Week
Vienna, Austria

There appears to be a European style festival tour occurring, using a multitude of festivals, biennales, triennales occurring. Among these is the fifth annual Vienna Design Week. Get motivated during the ten-day festival that can turn all Vienna to a showroom for the most up-to-date in product, industrial, and furniture layout. Attend exhibitions, installations, talks along with also the highlight,”Paths of Passion” where selected designers are encouraged to collaborate and work with manufacturers and businesses who bring their ideas to life.

Other autumn festival happenings in Europe: Copenhagen Design Week (Sept. 1-6, 2011), Design September at Brussels (Sept. 8-30, 2011), Helsinki Design Week (Sept. 9-18, 2011), Paris Design Week (Sept. 12-18, 2011), Innovation Festival on social style in Tallinn (Sept. 16-25, 2011), EXD’11 at Lisbon (Sept. 28-Oct. 2, 2011), Milano Design Weekend (Oct. 6-9, 2011). Let us know if you are fortunate enough to attend one!

TOUR — Oct. 1-2, 2011
AIA Austin Homes Tour
Austin, TX

Get an exclusive look inside some of Austin’s stunning house insides by attending Austin Home Tours introduced with the Austin chapter of the American Institute of Architects. Marvel at 15 different cutting-edge residential projects across town, by many architects featured on Houzz. The house tours will kick off the month-long Austin x Design community series of events with over 20 associations and a number of inspirational and engaging events which celebrate layout in the natural and built surroundings. Click here to get a detailed list of events.

Featuring homes by: Alterstudio Architects, A Parallel Architecture, Barley & Pfeiffer, Cornerstone Group Architects, Dick Clark Architecture, McKinney York Architects, and more.

Etsy

Herb Poster – Hurricane Irene Fundraiser – Claudia Pearson – $25

FAIR — Oct. 1, 2011
Crafty Bastards
Marie Reed Learning Center (18th & Wyoming) at the Adams Morgan area
Washington, DC

Should you just happen to be in the nation’s capital the first of October, take a look at the 8th annual Crafty Bastards Arts & Crafts Fair, at which some of the nation’s talented independent artists will display and sell their handmade products. Presented by the Washington City Paper, the honest is all-day outside free occasion to attend. All the artists have been handpicked by a select jury because of their DIY chops, and so their unique items on display reflect that. There will be surprises at each booth such as reconstructed clothing, punk-rock baby clothing, handmade jewelry, plush toys, screen-printing, such as the print over by Brooklyn-based Claudia Pearson, and more.

Other highlights include: Young & Crafty, comprising the work of young artists between the ages of 9-18, Food Craft, observing the burgeoning DIY food motion, a DIY Salon, hosting the region’s greatest culinary talent as they teach craft food techniques, a Crafty Food Market displaying and serving good artisanal food, also Crafty Food Awards, crowning the town’s greatest food crafters.

EXHIBITION — Oct. 2, 2011 — Jan. 16, 2012
Houdini: Art and Magic
Contemporary Jewish Museum
San Francisco, CA

Explore the life behind the master magician Harry Houdini (1874-1926) in the first American art museum art exhibition, Houdini: Art and Magic, exploring the transformation of this legendary performer around three centuries. The exhibition comprises more than 160 objects such as magical apparatus, a recreation of the famous Water Heater Cell, historical photos, dramatic Art Nouveau-era posters, two of Houdini’s personal diaries (never shown before in a public exhibition) and archival and silent movies that permit you to completely explore the career and legacy of this celebrated entertainer. Having a knack for self-promotion and provocation, this immigrant son of a bad immigrant rabbi rocketed to international fame and grabbed headlines with his gripping theatrical demonstrations and heart-stopping outdoor spectacles.

More events:
7 Best Design Occasions: Sept. 9-30, 2011
6 Best Design Occasions: Sept. 2-23, 2011

What is on your calendar this weekend? Let us know about your favourite forthcoming design events below!

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