World of design open to the public

MEDIA RELEASE for immediate release Wednesday 8 November 2006

A world of design open to the public at New Zealand's first Designer's Saturday

New Zealand's most influential design companies, brands, products and people will open their doors to the public for New Zealand's first Designer's Saturday to be held from Thursday 16 November until Saturday 18 November 2006 in the "design hub" city of Dunedin.

Design-led companies within Dunedin make it an unconventional and independent creative community, and the ideal location to establish the first New Zealand Designer's Saturday event, says Event Co-ordinator Bettina Bley.

Ms Bley says Dunedin is buzzing with design ideas.

"Designer's Saturday unites all aspects of design – architecture, interior design, fashion, animation, digital media, graphic design to product design."

She says Designer's Saturday is designed with the public in mind with a mix of industry shows and family events, all of which are free to attend.

Dunedin will be the stage to showcase New Zealand design, create design awareness and celebrate New Zealand's innovative design and design culture – presenting exceptional products from hardware to software, technology to media, industry to fashion.

The Designer's Saturday will be the very first of its kind in New Zealand, as Dunedin joins a group of international design centres such as New York, Melbourne, London, Cologne, Bangkok, Dusseldorf, Langenthal, Paris and Sydney, where the event is well-established.

The opening night of Designer's Saturday features the symposium "design necessary, not accessory" discussing design culture and business, to be held at the Dunedin Public Art Gallery on Thursday 16 November 2006 (starting 5.15pm) and free to the public.

Keynote speakers for the symposium are Professor Dr. Luca Lo Sicco (AUT School of Art and Design, Auckland), Professor Thomas Bley (Head of Department of Design Studies, University of Otago), Nigel Bamford (Escea Limited, Dunedin), Timothy Dixon (CEO of Straylight Studios, Dunedin), and Charles Monck (Independent Economic Development Consultant, UK.)

The symposium will be chaired by Peter Harris (Economic Development Unit, Dunedin City Council) and Bettina Bley (CEO, Zebrains, Dunedin).

Dunedin's design studios, manufacturers, galleries, tertiary education and retailers will open their doors to the public with exhibitions, cocktail parties, fashion shows and public events on Friday 17 November 2006 and Saturday 18 November.

The public have the opportunity to see a sneak preview of Fisher and Paykel's world-first "Gas in Glass" Luna cooktop, at Optima Design on Friday 17 November starting 5.15pm, and again on Saturday at 1.15pm.

Special guests are chefs Des Adamson of the Economic Development Unit, Dunedin City Council, and Thomas Bley, Head of Design Studies, University of Otago, who will turn food into hot stuff on the Luna Cooktop.

A fun and entertaining design event featuring our most used household companion, the very first "Chair-able" event will turn the Octagon into a haven of chairs (and everything deemed to be a seating utentsil) on Saturday 18 November from 11am-1pm.

The call is out for the public to bring their favourite (or most hated chair) to the Octagon to sit on, discuss and possibly trade with others, in this event sponsored by Design Studies – te toki a rata, University of Otago, and the Otago Polytechnic Design Department.

Designer's Saturday is delighted to bring back to Dunedin the Design Institute of New Zealand (DINZ) Best Design Awards Exhibition to be held at the Otago Museum from 18-26 November 2006.

The BestAwards 2006 DINZ exhibition showcases the best of New Zealand graphic, product and spatial design of 2005/06, and the public are invited to the opening reception on Saturday 18 November at 3pm, at the Otago Museum.

For more events and further information, go online for the full programme at www.designerssaturday.co.nz

ENDS

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