We explore contemporary design from the most exciting designers, makers and dreamers across furniture, interiors and homeware at Dundee Design Festival 2024
From now until Sunday 29th September, you can enjoy free exhibitions, workshops, talks and events – and see more than 180 designs all under one roof at Dundee Design Festival 2024 (DDF).
We visited the UK’s only UNESCO City of Design to explore this impressive exhibition. The festival harnesses the power of Dundee’s rich design heritage, its thriving contemporary design sector and a shared commitment within the city to utilise design as a transformative force.
Taking DDF from ideation to realisation was an extensive year-long task, but one that creative director Dr Stacy Hunter embraced. Her goal, she explained, was to create an unfussy space that facilitated art in every form, from the smallest homewares to the grandest installations – every piece must have room to breathe.
“We did this by dousing the concrete floor in a thin wash of white paint to maximise light and create contrast between object and space. We painted a few walls in neutral tones to tidy the ruggedness of the Michelin Scotland Innovation Parc, utilising waste and recycled materials to build the exhibition plinths.”
In terms of the layout, “We wanted to leave a certain amount of free space to allow fluidity in the visitor’s journey as they move between installations. We begin the journey with some of the smallest items in FRAMEWORK, followed by the humble but impressive BOOKENDS selection.
“Then, we slowly move into grander pieces as part of the HYPER-LOCAL exhibit before being greeted by large-scale works in the MATERIALISE area, which features Timorous Beasties’ fabric maze, Donna Wilson’s knitted forest, Gabriella Marcella’s uniform collection and ADesignStorie’s Biophilic House and Studio.”
We ventured through every section of Dundee Design Festival, interacting with each piece, exactly as Dr Stacy intended. Continue reading for our list of must-see exhibits.
FRAMEWORK
What: This is a unique snapshot of contemporary Scottish design illustrating the multiplicity of ways that design overlaps and intersects with other artforms and industries.
Who: Featuring the work of more than 70 designers from Scotland and beyond, specialising in everything from furniture and homeware to sculptural art and innovative small-space interior design.
1. May Chair, Martin Campbell
2. AXO Rug by Lindsey Hesketh, Granite + Smoke
3. Wood Experiments, Emer Tumilty and Martin Campbell
4. VISTA Chair, Rekha Baker
5. Jack Brindlay, Pavilion Pavilion
BOOKENDS
What: A specially commissioned collection of 20 bookends designed and made in Scotland.
Who: 20 of Scotland’s most exciting contemporary designers were briefed to create a daring and unique pair of bookends.
1. A Scottish Material Library, Adam Johnston
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2. Ceramic Bookends, Akiko Matsuda
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3. Camillo Atlas
4. Ciara Isabel Neufeldt
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5. Jennifer Gray Studio
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HYPER-LOCAL
What: This international exhibition marks the 10th anniversary of Dundee’s designation as a UNESCO City of Design. This diverse display honours and celebrates the UNESCO values of international collaboration, friendship and peace.
Who: Participating design cities include Bilbao, Dundee, Detroit, Graz, Kortrijk, Nagoya, Queretaro and Wuhan.
1. Frida Lounge Chair by Vincent Sheppard from Kortrijk, Belgium
2. Jute, Jam and Journalism Jumper by Donna Wilson from Dundee, Scotland
3. Third Man Press from Detroit, USA
4. Zacatón Icicle Wall Hanging from Querétaro, Mexico
5. ROUGH by Jakob Glasner from Austria
MATERIALISE
What: Large-scale immersive experiences from four of Scotland’s most exciting design studios in one giant space.
Who: Timorous Beasties, Donna Wilson, Gabriella Marcella, ADesignStorie.
1. Fabric Maze, Timorous Beasties
Fabric is suspended between the roof of the factory and the floor and features iconic hand printed floral designs, exaggerated and re-worked to give each piece a new lease of life. At the entrance of the maze, a print table made from recycled wood offers visitors the opportunity to handprint their own fabrics.
2. House of Wellbeing, AdesignStorie
Alicia Storie is the founder of the multi-award-winning climate-conscious interior design studio AdesignStorie. In Alicia’s installation, you can explore the House of Wellbeing, a pair of tiny houses showcasing innovative sustainable materials. From seaweed light fittings to CO2-absorbing paint, these eco-friendly homes offer a glimpse into a more climate-conscious way of living.
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