360 Design Budapest Showcases the Finest of the Contemporary Creative Industry at a Historic Venue
Budapest, 15th October 2024 – 360 Design Budapest, recognised with the Red Dot Award and several other international design awards, is opening its gates for the fifth time to an audience interested in creative industry novelties. The exhibition, presenting nearly 300 pieces of furniture, home decor accessories, and applied and fine arts objects, will offer insight into the contemporary design world over hundreds of square metres as the central event of Budapest Design Week. This year, the Hungarian Fashion and Design Agency is showcasing over 100 Hungarian and regional creators and applied artists and their unique objects in a historically significant location, the former waiting hall of Nyugati Railway Station.
The 360 Design Budapest exhibition, organised by the Hungarian Fashion & Design Agency (HFDA), has been highlighting the everyday role of design surrounding us in 360 degrees for five years. In the last few years, the creative industry event has attracted thousands, and this year, it is awaiting guests at a historic venue known as an architectural heritage site. The former waiting room of Nyugati Railway Station will be filled with outstanding works from the contemporary creative industry between the 16th and the 20th of October, constituting an unmissable stop for those exploring innovations in the design industry as the central event of Budapest Design Week.
“Design seeks to consider function and form simultaneously; thus, product design objects speak the language of both innovation and aesthetics. These objects, whether excellent works of art or industrial production, determine our everyday environment, and thus our quality of life. For this reason, this year’s exhibition showcases nearly 300 artworks, which provide a comprehensive picture of the multifaceted directions of design and its current trends, offering a possibility for visitors for a deeper understanding of the contemporary art and design discourse” – said Zsófia Jakab, Ministerial Commissioner for Creative Industry Development and Sectoral Coordination and CEO of the HFDA, at the opening of the exhibition.
For five years, the exhibition has been an integral part of Budapest Design Week every October. This year, it is the key professional forum of the design week, facilitating cooperation between creative sector actors.
Zsófia Jakab also pointed out that in recent years, 360 Design Budapest has become a central player in contemporary product design and also a source of inspiration for creative industry professionals and those interested in design. “To support this, the event places a special emphasis on interactive guided tours, in which, acknowledged artists and experts guide visitors through the artworks, diversifying the exhibition with their personal artistic perspective.”
Judit Osvárt, a key figure in the Hungarian design scene and editor-in-chief of ELLE Decoration, will open the series of guided tours. Following her, the creative industry and contemporary visual and applied art objects will be introduced through the perspectives of renowned artists, musicians, and creators. Thus, those interested can also sign up for guided tours led by Zsófia Szamosi, Jászai Mari Award-winning actress; Iván Vitáris, frontman of the band Ivan & The Parazol; singer Barbara Schoblocher; content creator Adél Keller; as well as internationally renowned photographer Zoltán Tombor and visual artist Márton Nemes.
Szilárd Demeter, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Foundation for Hungarian Culture, also welcomed the organisation of the exhibition and highlighted the cultural role of design.
360 Design Budapest also contributes to educational and professional development, as the organisers offer free, experience-based guided tours for vocational training and higher education institutions to introduce future generations to the trends and prominent figures of contemporary design. Domestic manufacturers will be exhibiting at separate stands, giving them direct access to a professional audience. Through the “Meet the Designer and Manufacturer” program, the organisers support networking among professionals, with special attention to promoting cooperation between designers and manufacturers.
The curatorial concept of the exhibition is based on a contemporary reinterpretation of Art Nouveau and Art Deco traditions, aiming to deepen Hungarian identity and strengthen the recognition and reputation of domestic creators. The exhibition not only highlights the uniqueness of Hungarian creativity but also focuses on using new, environmentally friendly materials and rethinking timeless techniques in the spirit of sustainability, ensuring the continuity of culture and new development directions for design.
The imposing space of Nyugati Railway Station, hosting the exhibition, symbolically connects the Eastern and the Western world as a historic site, providing a space for meetings and interactions between the domestic and international design scenes. Thus, it also strengthens the event’s value-preserving and value-creating purpose, as the spaces under reconstruction are given a new function while presenting the rich history of the site. In addition, the installation of 360 Design Budapest reflects on the location’s industrial character and reconstruction, allowing visitors to discover the most outstanding works of Hungarian and international artefact culture in a 360-degree tour.
Strategic partners of the 2024 edition of 360 Design Budapest include Art Market Budapest, the Museum of Applied Arts, and Bayer Construct Zrt., while the event’s key media partner is the ELLE Decoration interior design magazine.
The program series is popular among international visitors as well as the Hungarian public, contributing to the enhancement of the country’s brand image. To reinforce this objective, prominent representatives of the international trade press will be invited to a comprehensive tour of Budapest’s emblematic sites, cultural heritage, and gastronomic specialities.
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About the Hungarian Fashion & Design Agency
The Hungarian Fashion & Design Agency was founded in 2018 to support every actor in the fashion and design industries in an efficient and structured way, following predetermined strategic pillars: professional coordination, enhancing Hungarian brands’ availability and trade opportunities, educational development and manufacturing development. To realise their goals, HFDA organises domestic events each year, such as the region’s major fashion event, the Budapest Central European Fashion Week, or the 360 Design Budapest exhibition, which has received international awards. Besides, they provide Hungarian creators opportunities for participation and debuting at international professional events such as the Milano Fashion Week. Strategic cooperation with professional organisations, increasing exports, and supporting Hungarian brands’ professional development with their mentoring programmes are among their accentuated goals.
360 Design Budapest
The 360 Design Budapest event series, organised yearly by the Hungarian Fashion & Design Agency, draws attention to the everyday role of design surrounding us in 360 degrees. The event aims to make Hungarian and regional product designers more widely known using modern tools, help domestic design brands enter the international market, and present new, innovative, sustainable directions for the target audience interested in design. By realising the event, the Agency wants to help Hungary become a regional centre in the design industry and create a programme which is attractive to tourists from all around Europe.
