The National Gallery of Victoria is seeking expressions of interest from architects and designers to participate in the 2018 Melbourne Design Week, to be held from 15 to 25 March.
The theme for the festival will be “Design Effects,” which will explore how design changes the environment and people’s behaviour.
“The theme asks what effect does design have on our environment around us? And how is design a catalyst for change?” said Ewan McEoin, senior curator of contemporary design and architecture at the NGV.
“In the 21st century the world of design reaches beyond the physical object to the creation of experiences services and identities. In fact, everything around us that has been touched by an act of human kind is designed. Through this broad spectrum, Melbourne Design Week looks at the behavioral and environmental effects design produces.
“The environmental effects of design can be viewed through the exploration of new materials, energy production, and new modes of making.
“Design also has behavioral effects. It can change how we view and interact with the world.”
Architects, designers, artisans and design-led businesses are invited to submit ideas for talks, workshops, tours and industry events for the 2018 Melbourne Design Week program. Submissions are open until 8 December 2018.
Highlights of the program that have been announced so far include the NGV Triennial, which will open on 15 December 2017. Included in the NGV Architecture Commission is Garden Wall, designed by Other Architects and Retallack Thompson; Open State, a special series of tours inside 20 Victorian businesses conducted by Open House Melbourne and the Melbourne Art Book Fair.
In 2017, 131 citywide events were part of the Melbourne Design Week program.
The National Gallery of Victoria will also introduce the first Victorian Design Challenge in 2018.
The initiative, a collaboration between the NGV and Creative Victoria, will collaborate with a challenge partner each year. In 2018, the NGV is partnering with Vic Health on a challenge that asks, “How might we increase the resilience of today’s young people?”
“Resilience is a quality that helps individuals develop their potential, build positive relationships and contribute to the community. Thus the inaugural challenge will explore how design can deliver positive effects in the lives of young people and address their psychological wellbeing,” said Simone LeAmon, the NGV’s curator of contemporary design and architecture.
“The Victorian Design Challenge aims to bring new ideas and approaches to the table.”
The challenge will be conducted as a two-stage competition. The initial stage will be an open call for designers and multidisciplinary teams to submit their ideas. A jury will select up to five teams to proceed to the second stage, where they will present their ideas in a “live pitch” in front of the jury and the public during the 2018 Melbourne Design Week.
The winner will receive $30,000 towards testing and prototyping their design with community or industry partner.
The 2018 Melbourne Design Week will run from 15 to 25 March. For more information, click here.
