How can design support sustainable models for living, connection and culture? It's a matter we've investigated in all that we do at RUSSH, and we're hard-pressed for answers. Luckily, we don't have to look far. Sydney Design Week 2024 has assembled visionary designers, architects and artists who are creating space for alternative futures. Powerhouse has unveiled the Sydney Design Week 2024 program presented from 13–19 September. For the occasion, we've rounded up sightseeing advice from Keinton Butler, the creative director of Sydney Design Week.
Ahead, we've collated a what-to-know roundup of the exhibitions and talks not to miss according to Butler's expert eye. The creative director, who is senior exhibition curator at Powerhouse also holds a Master of Arts in Curating Contemporary Design from Kingston School of Art (in partnership with the Design Museum, London). At Powerhouse she leads collaborative exhibition, commission and research projects with a focus on socially and environmentally engaged contemporary design practices. Find everything to see this Sydney Design Week, as well as all of Butler's frequents for art and culture, below.
Places of Belonging | Sumayya Vally and Sara Mansour
Sunday 15 September
UTS Great Hall
2-3 pm
At the age of 30 Sumayya Vally was the youngest architect to receive the prestigious annual commission of the Serpentine pavilion in London. In 2021 she was named one of Time Magazine’s 100 Leaders of the Future. More recently, she was artistic director of the inaugural Islamic Arts Biennale in Saudi Arabia. I am excited to hear what she has to say on exploring the philosophies of the Islamic faith through her work while creating a global platform for African artists.
Future Prototypes | Colin Gibson and Keinton Butler
Monday 16 September
UTS Great Hall
6-7pm
Colin Gibson is the production designer behind some of Australia’s most notable films and TV shows from Nine Perfect Strangers and Babe to Priscilla Queen of the Desert and the recent Mad Max Films - Mad Max: Fury Road and Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga. He has an enviable resume working with renowned directors including George Miller, Wim Wenders and Zhang Yimou. The Academy-Award winning designer is known for his unique narrative led approach to designing sets and props. I’ll be joining Colin on stage to explore his design process, what it’s like to build imaginative worlds in the space between reality and fiction and talk about the inspiration behind his most recent Mad Max films.
Space Architectures | Melodie Yashar
Tuesday 17 September
Parramatta Town Hall
6-7pm
There aren’t many people who can put Space Architect on their resume, but Melodie Yashar is one of them. the ethics of settlement in space is the topic of Melodie’s talk and I am intrigued to hear her perspective on this issue along with architect Marni Reti who will be in conversation with Yashar.
Yashar is the vice president, Building Design and Performance at ICON, which NASA has awarded a contract to develop 3D printing technologies for the moon, I’m intrigued to hear what that means for rapid housing construction here on earth.
Urban Kitchen | Anna Puigjaner and Xinyi Lim
Wednesday 18 September
Parramatta Square
11.30am-1.30pm
Our pop-up kitchen in Parramatta Square will be great fun for local communities to witness a public multisensory cooking experience. Spanish Architect and researcher Anna Puigjaner will be joining Powerhouse Food Program manager Xinyi Lim to share global food stories and free tastings.
Maximalist Identities | Hassan Hajjaj and Jane Duru
Thursday 19 September
Parramatta Town Hall
6-7pm
Moroccan-British multidisciplinary artist Hajjaj is firmly established as one of the world’s leading photographers incorporating vivid colour, fashion and textiles into his work. I’m excited to see the large archive of work that Hajjaj will share during the event and behind-the-scenes films not seen before in Australia.
In Sydney, where does Butler get her design and culture fix?
An amazing gallery that represents contemporary artists and designers such as Rive Roshan, Izabela Pluta, Guy Keulemans and Kyoko Hashimoto, Abdullah M. I. Syed, Sabine Marcelis and Damien Wright and Bonhula Yunupingu.
Great program of contemporary exhibitions, set on the western bank of the Nepean River, established in 1981 at the former home and property of sculptor Gerald Lewers and painter Margo Lewers.
I love this new branch of AP Bakery which has just opened on Commonwealth St, Surry Hills.
Incredible interior designed by Australian designer Fiona Lynch, amazing urban views and food.
Designers such as Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec, Naoto Fukasawa and Ana Kraš as well as reeditions of Gerrit Rietveld.
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Find the full line up to Sydney Design Week on their official site.
