Designblok reflects Czech and international mix at 26th anniversary

Promotion: the annual Prague International Design Festival Designblok is returning to the Czech capital with a range of exhibitions and events highlighting design as "a key ingredient of youth and longevity".

Celebrating its 26th year, Designblok will take place at historic locations across the city. These include Prague Castle, the Museum of Decorative Arts, and for the first time in the festival's history, Prague City Museum.

The programme will be themed "Youth" and will feature a particular emphasis on up-and-coming design talent, as well as established practitioners.

For example, the festival includes the announcement of the winners of the Designblok Diploma Selection. Centred on product design and fashion, the graduate competition offers "a view of European design through the eyes of Generation Z," according to the festival.

Designblok is divided into two key concepts – Superstudio, which offers space for established brands, manufacturers and shops, and Openstudio, which platforms designers, studios, students and schools without commercial manufacturers.

The festival's main exhibition will take place at the Prague Castle Riding School. Called High Craft, the show will celebrate over 30 designers whose practice combines traditional craft with "environmentally conscious production methods".

Among the other exhibitions is Designblok Cosmos – supported by the PPF Foundation – a travelling showcase that made its name at last year's Designblok before heading to Milan design week.

Displayed in a metallic capsule, the exhibition includes 10 original objects made of glass, a material commonly used across the Czech Republic, according to Designblok.

School Today is another exhibition that will take place at Designblok 2024, providing students from all over Europe with a platform to present their varied work.

Central to the wider programme is the Designblok Awards, which are given out annually as part of the festival. This year, the awards will be helmed by the new president of the international jury, Dezeen co-CEO Ben Hobson.

Winners are selected from hundreds of the festival's exhibiting projects, chosen for their ability to "spread awareness of innovative and environmentally sound approaches and ideas with society-wide impact among the expert and general public".

The festival's main international guest will be British designer and architect Ron Arad, who will participate in Designblok's official opening, accompanied by Patrizia Moroso of Italian furniture brand Moroso.

Each year, Designblok also nominates an annual guest of honour. For 2024, the festival has chosen Dutch architect and co-founder of MVRDV Winy Maas, who will screen his documentary The Green Dip at the Museum of Decorative Arts.

International industry figures and Designblok regulars are expected to return to the festival, including Italian curator Rossana Orlandi and Dutch designer Ineke Hans.

"Design itself is a relatively new discipline in the historical and social context, but it is certainly a great mover of the 21st century," said festival director Jana Zielinski.

"With a bit of hyperbole, we can say that design is one of the key ingredients of youth and longevity, which we all long for," she continued, explaining Designblok's theme for 2024.

"It brings innovation as well as functional and aesthetic progress to the world and is able to prolong life and improve its quality. This is most certainly the case with quality products, so come and see for yourself at this year's Designblok."

To learn more about the exhibitions and accompanying programme and buy the tickets, visit the booking website.

Designblok takes place from 2 to 6 October 2024. See Dezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world.

Partnership content
This article was written by Dezeen for Designblok as part of a partnership. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.

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