Dezeen Magazine

Photo of ceramics and fabrics

Seven architecture and design events in September from Dezeen Events Guide

Seoul Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism, Chicago Architecture Biennial and London Design Festival are among the architecture and design events featured in Dezeen Events Guide this month.

Other events taking place in September include three design weeks in Helsinki, Paris and Singapore.

You can also find out how to get your event listed in our digital guide to London Design Festival, which will be published in the coming weeks.

Seoul Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism
1 September to 29 October 2023, South Korea

The forth edition of Seoul Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism takes place in 2023, following the theme Land Architecture, Land Urbanism.

The biennale offers a programme of exhibitions, including Land Architecture, Seoul 100-year Masterplan, Guest Cities and Global Studios.

The event takes place across three venues in the city: Songhyeon Green Plaza, Seoul Hall of Urbanism and Architecture and Seoul Citizens Hall.

The biennale is curated by architects Byoung Soo Cho and Eui Young Chun.

China International Furniture Fair
5 to 8 September 2023, China 

The China International Furniture Fair (CIFF) takes place in Shanghai for its 52nd edition, hosting 1,500 brands over four days.

Each year, the event showcases indoor, outdoor and office furniture, as well as home decorations and textiles, alternating locations between Shanghai and Guangzhou.

150,000 visitors are expected to attend the fair, which takes place at the National Exhibition and Convention Centre in Shanghai's Hongqiao district.

Photo of pink chair at Paris Design Week
Pierre Gonalons' furniture was exhibited at Sully Hôtel at a previous edition of Paris Design Week

Paris Design Week
7 to 16 September 2023, France

Paris Design Week is the largest aspect of France Design Week festival, taking place across 10 days in September.

The festival hosts Maison&Objet, the design-focused trade show running from 7 to 11 September at Paris-Nord Villepinte Parc des Expositions.

Alongside the trade show, Paris Design Week presents fringe events across 450 venues in four districts: Rive Gauche, Marais and Bastille, Opéra, Concorde and Étoile, and Palais-Royal.

The programme includes talks, exhibitions, open showrooms and studios, and product launches.

Photo of chairs
Helsinki Design Week's main event takes place at Merikortteli. Image courtesy of Habitare

Helsinki Design Week
8 to 17 September 2023, Finland

Helsinki Design Week takes place in September for ten days, with the main exhibition exploring new living and working spaces and a talks programme taking place at Merikortteli.

The event also hosts other exhibitions, lectures, markets, open studios, tours, workshops and parties, as well as the design fair Habitare.

The festival explores different design mediums, such as industrial and product design, urban planning, digital and graphic design, interiors, fashion and architecture.

This year's design week follows the theme Once Upon a Time, launching the first of a trilogy of festivals with connecting themes.

Illustration of people using the London Underground and a black taxi
London Design Festival returns for its 21st edition. Illustration is by Justyna Green

London Design Festival
16 to 24 September 2023, UK

London Design Festival returns to the UK, celebrating its 21st edition by spotlighting architecture, craft, urban design, fashion, textiles, product design, interiors, furniture and art.

The festival presents a programme of over 280 events, including talks, exhibitions, installations, open studios and showrooms, product launches, talks, tours, workshops, markets and networking opportunities.

Significant events taking place during the festival are design fair Material Matters, located at Oxo Tower Wharf from 20 to 23 September, and London Design Fair, which takes place from 21 to 24 September at the Truman Brewery.

London Design District 2023 takes place across 13 districts: Bankside Design District, Battersea Design District, Brompton Design District, Chelsea Design District, Dalston to Stokey Design District, Fitzrovia Design District, Greenwich Peninsula, Islington Design District, Kings Cross Design District, Mayfair Design District, Park Royal Design District, Shoreditch Design Triangle and Southwark Design District.

Dezeen Events Guide is releasing its guide to the London Design Festival, which will list the key events across the festival's districts. Find out how to get your event listed in the guide here.

Photo of graphic for Singapore Design Week
Singapore Design Week follows the theme Better by Design this year. Illustration courtesy of Singapore Design Week

Singapore Design Week
21 September to 1 October 2023, Singapore

DesignSingapore Council (Dsg) hosts the 2023 edition of Singapore Design Week, an annual festival celebrating design under three categories: Design Futures, Design Marketplace and Design Impact.

The design week hosts talks, installations, exhibitions, tours, networking opportunities, performances and an awards ceremony.

The 2023 edition takes place across three districts in Singapore: Bras Basah.Bugis, Marina Bay and Orchard Road.

To commemorate this year's festival, which takes place during Dsg's 20th anniversary, the theme follows the council's motto: Better by Design.

Riverwalk by carol Ross barney
Photo by Kate Joyce Studios

Chicago Architecture Biennial
21 September 2023 to 11 February 2024, USA

Following the theme This is a Rehearsal, Chicago Architecture Biennial celebrates its fifth edition exploring how to make or reinvent a city and whose role it is to do so.

The in-person and virtual event invites artists, architects, engineers, performers, poets to address topics such as land management, renewable resources and the production of materials.

This year's biennial is curated by arts collective Floating Museum and takes place at various locations across Chicago, USA.

About Dezeen Events Guide

Dezeen Events Guide is our guide to the best architecture and design events taking place across the world each year. The guide is updated weekly and includes virtual events, conferences, trade fairs, major exhibitions and design weeks.

Inclusion in the guide is free for basic listings, with events selected at Dezeen's discretion. Organisers can get standard, enhanced or featured listings for their events, including images, additional text and links, by paying a modest fee.

In addition, events can ensure inclusion by partnering with Dezeen. For more details on inclusion in Dezeen Events Guide and media partnerships with Dezeen, email [email protected].