Women Creating the Future of Design


Photo Credit: Valerie Eccli

During VIENNA DESIGN WEEK, on Friday, September 20, 2024, 16:00-19:00 CEST at designforum Wien, the Austrian interest association and knowledge centre designaustria is hosting a networking event about gender balance in the design industries.

Gender equality is an essential condition for an innovative, competitive, and thriving European economy. However, the gender disparity exists across the design industry. 

Survey results by designaustria showed, while for instance 70% of graphic design students are women, only 11% of female entrepreneurs employ staff, even 0% of female creative directors employ more than 10 people. To overcome disparity, a concise positioning and a conscious choice of business partners are essential. Connecting with peers is a crucial way to reflect, encourage, evolve and support.

Join us on
Friday, 20 September 2024, 16:00-19:00 CEST
designforum Wien
Free admission.

www.designaustria.at

PROGRAM

Curators’ introduction 
to IN*VISIBLE x Raum für Erregung

Talks by 

– Maja Lalic, director Mikser
– Valentina Auer, communication designer, lecturer at FH Salzburg
– Barbara Weingartshofer, initiator of the gender study »Frauen zählen.«, designaustria

Moderation: Sigrid Bürstmayr

Invitation
Next Gen Design: Outlook on Future Meetings with Kerstin Pfleger (studio re.d), Lisa Stolz (MOWO), Evija Kraukle (designaustria) und Therese Balslev (Danish Design Centre).

Panel discussion

Aperó

Literature:

Gender balance in the European Green Deal (2023) by the European Institute for Gender Equality
Women in Design (2023) by the European Union Intellectual Property Office
A Feminist European Green Deal (2022) by Women in Europe for a Common Future (WECF)
The Gender Equality Strategy 2020-2025 (2020) by the European Commission
Frauen zählen (2022) by designaustria (German version)

PIAO CHAIR

The PIAO CHAIR is made from multiple layers of fibrous paper, laminated together by hand to create a lightweight yet remarkably strong structure. The edges of the paper are left raw and uneven, highlighting the material’s natural origins and the craftsmanship involved in the chair’s production.

The chair’s form evokes the silhouette of Ming-dynasty horseshoe chairs—an iconic element of Chinese furniture history. The choice of material is inspired by the traditional paper umbrella-making techniques of the Yuhang District in Hangzhou, where PINWU Design Studio is located.

BIOCARPET

The subject of this artistic creation is an experimental textile surface made from wool waste. By employing woolen fibers and utilizing the felting technique, Biocarpet stands out as a remarkable example of how art and sustainability can intertwine.

The “Biocarpet – Apple Murex Egg Casing” is a groundbreaking artwork that merges the wonders of the ocean with the comfort of home textiles. This unique piece is designed to unveil the hidden mysteries of sea worlds and their natural, often invisible structures through a captivating textile sculpture-carpet.

Our urban environments are dominated by synthetic materials that can feel harsh and unwelcoming. Therefore, the design focuses on integrating tactile and biomimetic structures into the carpet, which highlights key themes such as recycling, biodiversity, and the use of natural materials.

FOODA BRAND

Seeing the bag on the street or in the household reminds people of overconsumption, while also bringing in the emotional reminder to share the leftover food with those in need.

FOODA is a brand focused on food-sharing and the reduction of food waste. FOODA bags, combined together with the application ensure that the food that would be thrown away is transported to those in need. The recognizable design of the FOODA bag that combines two colors and a pocket for a personal message works as a way of overcoming the emotional and phys­ical obstacles of food sharing.

FOODA bag is made of polyester and is waterproof en­suring that the food stays safe even when it rains. When giving away food in the FOODA bag, the personal message can be written as a means of communication between the giver and the receiver emphasizing the emotional aspect of food-sharing.

BIODEGRAPAK

Recycling is a multi-step process, involving transportation, sorting, processing, and making materials into new goods. It is difficult to assess its overall energy usage.

Economy is not exactly thriving from all its recycling efforts — because it becomes more expensive than ever to process all of our leftover junk. Biodegrapak is a package designed to be ecological on every level. Consisted of cleared paper pulp, flour and starch and biological seeds. After using the eggs, instead of recycling or throwing it away, the user waters it or plants it so the seeds grow into green plants. The main idea and goal is to create a truly environmentally friendly product.

See George Bosnas portfolio.

Jelena Matic

Her passion for sustainable design has not only influenced her students’ lives but has also inspired new generations of designs to embed environmental concepts and practices.

Professor Jelena Matic is a prominent figure in Serbia, known for advancing sustainability and circular design education. Her work at the Faculty of Forestry, University of Belgrade, and involvement in the “Young Balkan Designers” initiative has inspired students and new generations to integrate environmental concepts into their designs.

From 2005 to 2015, Matic led award-winning projects, earning awards, including prestigious ones like the Awards of the Salon of Arts, Golden Key of the Furniture Fair in Belgrade, and awards from the Chamber of Commerce of Belgrade and Ulupuds. Her collaboration with the furniture company Simpo in 2010 resulted in four student-designed pieces entering production, highlighting her influence in both education and industry.

Global Creative Graduate Showcase 2024

Entry: Free to apply
Deadline: August 31, 2024, 23:59 NYC time

We are thrilled to share with you the Global Creative Graduate Showcase 2024, celebrating its 5th Anniversary with an exciting collaboration between Arts Thread, WGSN, and Coloro. This competition is open to all undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate art and design students who have graduated between September 2023 and August 2024.

The Global Creative Graduate Showcase is your platform to display your creative work alongside peers worldwide and have it judged by industry leaders. Last year’s show was a huge success, with 5,823 entries from 117 countries, representing 472 higher education institutions.

This is your opportunity to curate and share your creative journey, from initial research and development to the final outcome. We encourage you to produce a short self-curated film to introduce your work to the world.

Award Categories:

  • Fashion / Accessories / Textiles
  • Digital / Visual Communication / Film
  • Product / Architecture / Interiors
  • Fine Art / Photography / Craft / Jewelry

Two valuable members of the Next Gen Design project team have been selected to serve as jurors in the prestigious Product / Architecture / Interiors category. Maja Lalic, the visionary founder and president of the Mikser organization, and Isabel Roig, the dynamic director of Barcelona Design Week, bring a wealth of experience and insight to the jury panel.

Together, Maja and Isabel will assess entries with a keen eye for innovation, sustainability, and aesthetic appeal, helping to recognize and celebrate outstanding achievements in Product, Architecture, and Interiors.

Click here to apply and learn more about the competition.