Designblok: Spring Will Come in Autumn

(jiří macek) This year’s Designblok visual signals the arrival. Everything indicates that we can expect spring in autumn from this year’s Designblok in the sense of renaissance, revival, and rebirth. The great news for the Czech industry is the fact that the international program includes, apart from renowned foreign companies and established designers, a wide range of Czech manufacturers who collaborate with designers, many of whom will present the first results from their cooperation.

Over the course of the last decade, many Czech manufacturers, companies, design studios, and designers have become accustomed to presenting their new designs and work at Designblok, which always takes place in October. Thus, Designblok not only represents exhibition spaces, but also the possibility for asserting and presenting one’s quality work to the Czech public. Moreover, it has become a means and a unique opportunity for cooperation. It is possible for companies that seek new stimuli to learn about new products, as well as a chance for designers (both renowned and novice) who would like to work on a professional level. The interconnection of these two worlds represents one of Designblok’s central goals. Interconnecting Czech manufacturers with designers has been one of the main tasks of the event since its very beginning. Over the past three years, we have recorded a large increase in the number of exhibitions by Czech manufacturers at Designblok.

Czech manufacturers have started to count on the creativity and energy of designers. This increasing trend was evident in 2008 and 2009 through the participation of Czech manufacturers at the biggest design fairs in Europe - Salone del Mobile, Maison et Object in Paris, and 100% Design in London and Tokyo. The team of Designblok organizers helped to arrange their participation.

The Days of Design will take place from October 6-11 this year. The participants will include the selection of the best showrooms and boutiques that focus on design, interior accessories, and fashion. The event will also incorporate presentations from fashion designers, design studios, designers, schools, and institutions. Thanks to an attendance that exceeded 30,000 visitors last year, Designblok has become one of the biggest social events in the city of Prague.

Design in Prague is traditionally concentrated in several quarters where the best design showrooms and galleries are located. For the purpose of Designblok, we will call these quarters “zones.” The first zone comprises the Old and the New Towns; the second contains Holešovice; the third is Karlín.

In these zones, one can find not only traditional Designblok participants such as 3DH, A.M.O.S. design, Artemide, Belda Factory, Bulb, De.fakto, Egoé, Kartell, Konsepti, Qubus, Scandium, Techo, Timour et Group, Vitra, and many others, but also many new participants such as Bella Bruta, Simple Concept Store, and Max Mara in the lead.

Apart from this group, several Czech manufacturers will have their premiere at this year’s Designblok, such as footwear manufacturer Botas, lighting manufacturer Eco Design, the traditional manufacturer of Preciosa lights, watch manufacturer Prim, office furniture manufacturer Prowork, and upholstered furniture manufacturer Polstrin. These companies will exhibit projects that were made in collaboration with Czech designers. Some series will be presented in a limited edition made especially for Designblok.

This year, there will be significant participation from top lighting manufacturers from both the Czech Republic and abroad. Apart from traditional participants such as Artemide, Bulb, Williams galerie světla, and Amos Design, there will also be new pieces from Preciosa, Lucis, Eco Design, and Zumtobel.

Overall, the Designblok accompanying program will take up the largest space of all the exhibitions and presentations, exceeding 6,000 m2 in three Superstudios located in Holešovice. Česká spořitelna will support the accompanying program of the Days of Design as the general partner.

The theme of spring and belief in a new renaissance is symbolized on the Designblok visual by a picture of thirteen-year-old Honza from Letná with Líza the lamb, which lives in Dolní Černošice, where the photos were taken by Salim Issa. The graphic design was created by Martina Černá from Imagery.

www.designblok.cz

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