The Third Annual Design Week is Underway in Rio de Janeiro

By Georgia Grimond, Senior Contributing Reporter

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Only in its third incarnation, Rio’s Design Week or Semana Design Rio, is already a highlight in the city’s arts calendar. With a wide selection of lectures, workshops and exhibitions, visitors can attend events across the city this weekend, until Sunday November 8th.

The expo is based at the Jockey Club Brasileiro in Gávea, where the public can mix with designers, architects, engineers, chefs, researchers and even lawyers to join workshops and hear talks. Topics range from the creation of processes to alternative materials to the launch of pieces and product strategy. Speakers include some of the great names of Brazilian design, such as Marcelo Rosenbaum, Zanini de Zanine and Ellis Bartholomeus.

This year’s event features a new fair at the Jockey Club. Mercado Design Rio or Market Design Rio is a shopping area created to bring designers and brands together with the public.

Rio+Design will also be in attendance. The organization was started in 2008 by the State Secretary of Economic Development to promote the work of Rio’s designers at home and abroad. It runs an annual event, Rio+Design – Milan, at the Salone del Mobile, Milan’s annual design fair.

This year Rio+Design put out a brief for jewelers, furniture and object makers, graphic designers and others to show how design can be included in the everyday lives of people in the city. Out of 330 entires, 140 pieces from 63 designers were chosen. Fifteen of those were the work of new and upcoming talent. The successful entries can be seen at the Mostra Rio+Design exhibition at the Jockey Club.

Other highlights include “Tocha Olímpica Rio 2016: Symbolism and Challenges in the Creative Process”, a talk on Sunday given by Gustavo Chelles and his team about designing the 2016 Olympic torch for the Rio Games.

Also on Sunday the editorial director of Casa e Jardim magazine, Simone Quintas, will speak about how to be happy at home. Her research is the result of a series of interviews with professionals from various fields, including philosophers, sociologists and experts in Feng Shui and trends.

Semana Design Rio is run by Rio state government and supported by O Globo newspaper, with sponsorship from organizations including Sebrae, Senac, Shopping Leblon and CasaShopping, as well as special partnerships with jeweler, HStern, and brands such as Granado and Tok&Stok.

“In addition to lectures and workshops, we will have new places for creative districts. Inspired by a movement that occurs in the Design Week in Milan, where artists and designers promote activities parallel to the event, the districts were selected according to the concentration of creative economy,” said Mauricio Lima, director of Infoglobo audience.

Adding, “The Fábrica Bhering, one of four selected sites, accounts for about fifty workshops. In addition to it, the Port, the Botanical Gardens and Rio Antigo (an area encompassing Rua Lavradio, Lapa and Praça Tiradentes) are all references of design.”

This year Fábrica Bhering, a former chocolate factory that is now studios for artists and designers, has an innovative programe that includes exhibitions, workshops, screenings, musical acts, furniture, fashion and gastronomy. On Saturday, November 7th, Ana Couto, a branding expert from the Kellogg School of Management in America, will talk about her experience and how she sees the future of business.

In Gávea, Feira Planetária will bring a selection of food trucks to the garden of the planetarium, and other gastronomical, artistic and cultural events will take place all over Rio.

All events, workshops and lectures at Semana Design Rio are free, but some require registration here. The Jockey Club is open from 2PM – 8PM until Sunday November 8th. Times for other venues vary.