Dezeen Magazine

ROW DTLA

LA Design Festival spotlights city's "creative diversity and talent"

Dezeen promotion: a four-day celebration of design kicks off in Los Angeles today, with exhibitions, talks, workshops and parties taking place across the city.

The LA Design Festival runs 7 to 10 June 2018, and encompasses over 100 events as part of a programme themed around Design is for Everyone.

RCHS Studio
LA Design Festival includes a variety open studios, like RCHS, as part of the West Adams tour. Photograph courtesy of RCHS

"The LA Design Festival is reflective of the immense creative diversity and talent in LA," said a statement from the organisers.

The ROW DTLA in the Arts District will act as the hub for activities, where stores and streets will be utilised for a series of workshops, exhibitions and pop-ups.

Stacks by Another Human
Another Human's Stacks will be on show at the INTRO/LA exhibition. Photograph courtesy of INTRO/LA

Among these, INTRO/LA will present work by up-and-coming designers and studios – marking its fourth time participating in the festival. The Design is for Everyone exhibition will feature projects by local talent, and the World Design Gallery showcase will present innovative ideas from across the globe.

A series of fast-paced talks led by the team behind the Design, etc podcast will include speakers from LA's new chief design officer Christopher Hawthorne, architects Sharon Johnston and Mark Lee, designer Jimenez Lai, and many more.

Installations at the ROW DTLA will include the MINI Living Urban Cabin, which has been adapted by local architecture firm Freeland Buck.

Dezeen's US editor Dan Howarth will moderate a panel discussion with architect David Freeland, Harvard academic Beth Altringer and MINI Living creative lead Oke Hauser at the cabin on Friday 8 June 2018 at 11am.

Barcelona-based designer Achilleas Souras' SOS shelter made from lifejackets will be presented in the World Design Gallery. Photograph courtesy of Achilleas Souras

The talk, titled Local Design for Global Life, forms part of our ongoing Dezeen x MINI Living collaboration.

The West Coast premiere of Dezeen's short documentary Elevation, which explores the impact that drones will have on cities, will also occur during the festival. Free screenings will take place 8 and 9 June 2018, every half an hour from 11am to 3pm at ROW DTLA.

Chromatic Dinner
Events across the city will include the multi-sensory Chromatic Dinner. Photograph courtesy of Chromatic Dinner

As media partner for this year's LA Design Festival, Dezeen is also supporting the official opening party and awards ceremony on 7 June 2018, 7-10pm – tickets available here – as well as the afterparty at the nearby Ace Hotel Downtown Los Angeles.

Elsewhere in the city, studio tours, pop-ups and "design crawls" will offer an overview of its various creative pockets.

Visit the LA Design Festival website for a full list of events and more information.