The Estonian design week in Tallinn goes under the name Disainiöö. I spent a few days looking at innovative and Baltic design. Here is my report.
The design week in Tallinn is one of the largest in former Easter Europe. Biggest design week in this region is Designblok in Prague, and both Budabest and Bucharest have impressive design weeks. Polen is always strong with design weeks in Lodz etc.
But Tallinn with it’s official numbers of 10 000 visitors is considerably large.
The main event takes place in an old factory but there are plenty of other installations in the city.
This is absolutely not my first time in Tallinn. I have been before and had seminars and even did an exhibition in Swedish design. See a little bit more from a post (in Swedish) from 2015. And in 2016 we did an exhibition on Estonian design in Stockholm at Designgalleriet. See here.
At the design festival in Tallinn you of course see local talents. Here for instance trows by Marit Pöör.
I liked this bench for public space where you can park your bike.
Floral lamp.
Packaging design. Instead of bubble wrap, use wood. By Tönis Jalakas
Hay veneer by Mirjam and Markus Pärnamets.
Stone furniture (and lights)
And of course craft
This is a rose tipi. Shelter your flowers from frost. By Helen Vaher.
But a design week like Tallinn is similar to the one in Eindhoven. It is about the society and larger questions. Here at Tallinn a lot of international projects were shown on displays like this. For instance I could read about the Swedish Konstfack graduate who have found a way to use wool to collect oil spill in oceans. Above here is a compost with drawers.
A big minus are these poster displays. I am in it for the real experience. Not only on paper.
But I did find projects to fall in love with. Above here is a mobile installation that will give you a green roof and shade for hot summers. Love. By French studio Selah Creative Office.
Another project to fall in love with was from Singapore. Angel Tan En Qi, Isabel Lim Pei Qian and Cheh Zhong Han at NangYang Academy in Singapore. They want to encourage connection between an older generation with a younger one. Simply by finding a way to connect and send snailmail letters. Love, love, love.
Leaving the factory area, the city of Tallinn has a lot to offer.
The neighbourhood of Telliskivi has been named the most “hipster dense” part of the world. Not so sure there are any hipster here any longer – but among these rebuilt factory buildings you find fashion designers, product designer, Fotografiska and lots of coffee places.
As part of the design festival, an eyewear store was showing how they are using mycelium as part of their store display.
Super lovely upcycled t-shirts. Unfortunately not for sale. Only showed as art pieces – but I would love one.
Not part of Telliskivi, but super near, is Balti Jaama Turg with their amazing vintage market. Just look at these things below.
Another area to visit is Rotermann. Also rebuilt warehouse not with fashion stores and fancy restaurants.
But here you also have Tallinn Design House with local design.
Yummy colours.
Yummy upcycle
And just fun. Buy a set of three socks. If you loose one – you still have a pair. Or mix and match as you want.
Yummy craft.
But you of course also have Old Town.
Locally produced wooden buttons from different woods.
Tallinn of course have an interesting contemporary art museum called KUMU. Here I found these sculptural chairs made of tires. Saw them at an ACNE fashion show a few years back. Made by Villu Jaanisoo.
The museum also had an amazing colour exhibition by Estonian artist Kristi Kongi.
And just walking around the park Kadriorg was amazing.
And don’t miss the sandy beaches.
Last time I was in Tallinn I did a whole photo set of colourful doors in the city. I will not repeat myself but it is very nice.
But you are all wondering – what about the score for Disainiöö?? I would say that this design week that have been running for over 20 years is very important for the region. Numbers speak clearly. This is the most important design event in the Baltic states. But it is small. I want to see more products – not only text on posters. Because of the lack of products I give this 3 of 5. But it is absolutely an important design week.