• Preview of Vienna Design Week and Dutch Design Week - Europe has designs on you

By Ania Dardas

Here's another preview on two great design shows, taking place in the Benelux in October 2008. Have a closer look ...

Go Dutch in October

Dutch Design Week is kicking off once again for the seventh time round in Eindhoven, the Netherlands, from October 18 to October 26. This is the largest Dutch design event and it brings together around 800 designers from various design disciplines that include product design, textile and fashion design, graphic design and spatial design.

Visitors can see their work at around 40 different venues around the city and gain some insight into the entire development process from concept to product. Exhibitors include established bureaux, high-flying designers, talented newcomers as well as recent graduates. Visit www.dutchdesignweek.nl to take a look at the broad program of lectures, workshops, fashion shows, seminars and exhibitions.

Belgian Biennale

The Belgian design community is offering a ten-day fest to promote creativity in product development and design: the 21^st international biennale Interieur '08 is taking place in Kortrijk from October 17 to 26.

Organized by the Interieur Foundation, the biennale focuses on creative interior design and shows the most recent developments as well as the most successful projects in product development and design. As usual there will be a design competition that invites entries from designers with new functional, creative and contemporary prototypes to be judged by a distinguished jury that includes, among others, designers Louise Campbell (DK) and Adam Goodrum (AU). Eleven companies are sponsoring prizes and all the entries will be showcased during the biennale.

Young talent also has its spot at the young designers fair. The guest of honor this year is Spanish designer Jaime Hayon, who is universally known for his irreverent design and endless imagination.