In Between Worlds: What to Expect at Sydney Design Week 2024

By Mehar Deep Kaur -
September 11, 2024

Sydney Design Week is an annual event featuring a week-long series of exhibitions, talks, workshops, and tours. The theme for this year, “In Between Worlds,” focuses on exploring more sustainable and inclusive futures for urban environments. This year’s edition is the 28th of its kind and will be held from September 13 to 19 at multiple venues throughout Sydney, Australia.


Source: STIR World

The Query of the Festival

Architecture often navigates between different dimensions, such as the real and virtual, the abstract and concrete, theory and practice, and personal and collective experiences. It lies at the intersection of designing physical spaces and shaping how we perceive them, aiming to enhance living conditions by creating spaces that are comfortable, inclusive, and accessible.
Today, architecture also considers its impact on natural ecosystems, the non-human world, and the pressing issues of inequality—whether socio-economic, racial, or related to the climate crisis. This broader perspective addresses the challenges of the Anthropocene. This year’s Sydney Design Week will be exploring these transitional spaces that lie between imagination and reality, the present and the future.

Source: Powerhouse.com.au

An Overview

The event is being organized by Creative Director Keinton Butler, Senior Curator at Powerhouse—Australia’s largest museum group— in collaboration with Amaia Sánchez-Velasco from GRANDEZA STUDIO. It is also being supported by the New South Wales Government, along with Principal Partners Holdmark Property Group, Foundational University Partners University of Technology Sydney and Western Sydney University, Festival Partners City of Parramatta, and digital partners STIR, who will examine how design can shape alternative futures.
The program will address various aspects such as:
Space Architecture: Examining imaginative designs for space environments.
Inclusivity and Connection: Creating spaces that foster belonging and address the legacy of (post) imperialism.
Fictional Architectures: Exploring temporary and speculative designs used in film and other media.
Throughout the week, attendees will engage in thought-provoking discussions that extend beyond traditional architectural practice. The festival will feature compelling dialogues that intersect architecture with storytelling, speculation, and extensive research. The events will bring together designers and thinkers who challenge conventional boundaries and envision new possibilities for our built environments.

Source: Powerhouse.com.au

Program Highlights

Beyond Architecture
David Gianotten from OMA will discuss the innovative, community-focused projects of the global architecture firm and the evolving role of architects.

Friday, September 13, 2024

David Gianotten, Managing Partner-Architect of OMA | Source: Assemble Papers

Building Worlds

The Australian Production Design Guild invites families to explore the magic of production design through workshops, tours, and interactive activities centered around the theme “In Between Worlds.”
Saturday, September 14, 2024

Recipes as Archives

South African architect Sumayya Vally and food creative Karima Hazim, co-founder of Sunday Kitchen, will host a Sunday breakfast featuring traditional Lebanese recipes that highlight the intersection of family, food, and culture.
Sunday, September 15, 2024

Places of Belonging

Sumayya Vally, the artistic director of Counterspace, alongside poet Sara Mansour, will explore how architectural design can foster community and create spaces that bring people together.
Sunday, September 15, 2024

Sumayya Vally, the iconic woman behind the first Islamic Art Biennale in Saudi | Source: Dezeen

Future Prototypes

Academy Award-winning production designer Colin Gibson will share insights on how he envisions and develops prototypes for future environments and technologies.
Monday, September 16, 2024

Production Designer Colin Gibson| Source: Desde Hollywood

Space Architectures

Space architect and technologist Melodie Yashar of ICON, a company specializing in large-scale additive manufacturing technologies for applications on Earth and in space, will discuss her work on designing resilient habitats for future space settlements. She will also talk about the ethics related to such an environment.
Tuesday, September 17, 2024

Melodie Yasher | Source : STIR World

Sydney Design Week Urban Kitchen

Chef Xinyi Lim and architect Anna Puigjaner will use local ingredients to create global food narratives in a pop-up kitchen located in Parramatta Square.
Wednesday, September 18, 2024

Collective Care

Professor Anna Puigjaner, who has co-founded the architecture studio MAIO in Barcelona, will present her innovative approaches to designing architectural models that support collective living and care, reimagining communal spaces.
Wednesday, September 18, 2024

Anna Puigjaner will present Urban Kitchen alongside chef Xinyi Lim | Source : STIR World

Maximalist Identities

Moroccan-British artist Hassan Hajjaj will showcase his bold, maximalist approach to portraiture and cultural commentary, pushing the boundaries of traditional art forms.
Thursday, September 19, 2024

Hassan Hajjaj | Source : Barakat Contemporary

Lisa Havilah, Chief Executive of Powerhouse, contemplates the festival,”This year, as we present events across the city, we are putting the spotlight on the Parramatta district of Sydney where we are currently developing our major new museum. Powerhouse will be at the heart of Parramatta’s unmatched growth and the expansion of its cultural core.”

The USP of Sydney Design Week 2024

What stands out about this year’s thought-provoking program of talks and events is not just how each participant uniquely addresses the brief, tackling a range of individual, community, urban, global, and planetary challenges, but also the interconnectedness of the events. This highlights the idea that true freedom is achieved only when all beings on the planet are free. Additionally, the design fair moves away from the commonly misused idea of design as a cure-all or salvation. Instead, it emphasizes a sense of shared responsibility and kinship, even if it is not immediately visible.

Final Thoughts

The focused approach of this design week contrasts sharply with the often overwhelming scale of major design fairs and conferences worldwide. While other events might emphasize sheer size, this design week aims to enhance Australia’s global design reputation through carefully curated programming. Each event encourages thinking beyond the finished product of design—beyond just constructing buildings—and instead highlights the creation process. This includes building communities, fostering resilience, and working towards a more inclusive future.

References

https://powerhouse.com.au/ program/ sydney-design-week
https://www.stirworld.com/ reflect-sydney-design-week-2024
https://www.stirworld.com/ see-features-sydney-design-week-2024
https://www.dezeen.com/ eventsguide/ 2024/ 09/ sydney-design-week-2024/