Virtual Design Festival

VDF highlights include Ron Arad, SO-IL, Kunlé Adeyemi, Nelly Ben Hayoun and Studio Drift

This week's VDF highlights include Ron Arad, SO-IL, Kunlé Adeyemi, Nelly Ben Hayoun, Beatie Wolfe and Studio Drift

Week two of Virtual Design Festival came and went in a flash! Here's a day-by-day roundup of all the week's collaborations, interviews and video messages.


VDF highlights include Ron Arad, SO-IL, Kunlé Adeyemi, Nelly Ben Hayoun and Studio Drift

Monday 20 April

VDF x MAAT: we kicked off the week with Lisbon's MAAT museum, hosting a virtual launch of its installation and exhibition by architect SO-IL. We exclusively unveiled the architect's Beeline installation, premiered a documentary about SO-IL and conducted a live interview with Florian Idenburg and Jing Liu.

Video message: Lonneke Gordijn of Studio Drift shared her thoughts on how the pandemic could lead to a new economic model with creatives leading the way. "We, as a creative community, are already used to unknown situations," she said.

One Minute Architecture: our latest report from video blogger Martin van der Linden investigated Tokyo's lost rivers.


VDF highlights include Ron Arad, SO-IL, Kunlé Adeyemi, Nelly Ben Hayoun and Studio Drift

Tuesday 21 April

VDF x Zoomed In: we teamed up with new architecture photography festival Zoomed In to share a series of discussions about imagery and the built environment. Highlights included a lecture by Iñigo Bujedo Aguirre and a panel talk about imagery in architecture media.

One Minute Architecture: today's instalment from Tokyo explored the architecture of Shinto temple gates.


Wednesday 22 April

VDF x The World Around: our most ambitious collaboration yet saw Beatrice Galilee of The World Around take over VDF for the day with a series of talks, interviews and essays exploring creative responses to Earth Day. Highlights included conversations featuring Nelly Ben Hayoun (pictured at top), Kunlé Adeyemi and more plus Mona Chalabi unveiled a new series of prints.

Video message: to coincide with her takeover of VDF for Earth Day, Beatrice Galilee spoke about how the pandemic is causing creatives everywhere to ask what their role is.


VDF highlights include Ron Arad, SO-IL, Kunlé Adeyemi, Nelly Ben Hayoun and Studio Drift

Thursday 23 April

VDF x Ron Arad: today Ron Arad premiered a movie showing how his latest collection of hand-make chairs was made and took part in a live interview which began with him revealing a project to sell masks emblazoned with famous faces to raise money for healthcare workers.

VDF x Terreform One: our tie-up with New York City architecture platform Terreform One consisted of a live discussion between authors Mitch Joachim, Julia Watson, Eran Chen and Paul Miller (AKA DJ Spooky) about sustainable design in a post-coronavirus world.

One Minute Architecture: today Martin van der Linden explains how Tokyo's urban structure consists of cells that define "where the Tokyoite lives, where they work, where they eat, where to entertain themselves, even where they have sex".


VDF highlights include Ron Arad, SO-IL, Kunlé Adeyemi, Nelly Ben Hayoun and Studio Drift

Friday 24 April

VDF x Beatie Wolfe: Los Angeles musician Beatie Wolfe put together today's programme, which includes a live interview and performance plus the online premiere of her Orange Juice for the Ears documentary.

Video message: Beatie Wolfe sets up her VDF takeover by explaining how lockdown is "a great exercise in presence and gratitude."


Next week

There's even more lined up for week three, including a takeover by Prague conference reSITE, a collaboration with Dutch platform Ventura Projects, a chance to relive last October's Dezen Day and a live interview with filmmaker Gary Hustwit. Check out the schedule for more details.


Last week

Did you miss week one? Read the summary of the first week's highlights include live interviews with Li Edelkoort and Klein Dytham Architecture plus the now-legendary VDF launch movie.

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