Budapest Design Week’s highlighted event, the Red Dot Award-winning 360 Design Budapest, generated outstanding interest among professionals and the general public; the exhibition presented works by over 100 Hungarian and regional contemporary creators, attracting an absolute record number of nearly 5,000 visitors. Those interested could view nearly 300 design objects and works of applied and fine arts, showcasing the most innovative solutions of contemporary product design.
The design exhibition held for the fifth time has received numerous domestic and international awards and attracted hundreds of visitors to the venue each day this year. Almost 5,000 people visited the spectacular installation in the former waiting room of Nyugati Railway Station and the exhibition featuring nearly 300 applied and fine arts objects.
The imposing, historical surroundings under construction, combined with an industrial scaffolding connected the past and the future as successfully as the special pieces of the Museum of Applied Arts reflected on the contemporary design works. The coherent selection of Dutch, Ukrainian, Slovakian, Czech, Polish and Austrian designers and domestic creators demonstrated that Hungarian and regional design lives up to international standards. The design products and contemporary applied and fine arts objects stood their ground beside the most iconic mid-century objects. The exhibited works presented innovative design approaches, artisanal techniques, sustainable technologies, and the unique know-how of the creators while in many cases also incorporating cutting-edge manufacturing methods.
The architectural scaffolding in the centre of the waiting room occupied the space in a circular arc: a long table covered with small objects stood in the middle while the installation had several floors of diverse works. Prominent representatives of the Hungarian cultural scene, renowned artists, musicians, writers and poets helped those interested in interpreting the spectacular, innovative and sustainable creations, with nearly 1000 visitors participating in the exclusive guided tours.
Gáspár Bonta, the exhibition’s curator, guided the youngest generation in the contemporary design world as an accentuated programme of the schedule of this year’s 360 Design Budapest. To facilitate cooperation between creative industry sectors, students and educators from vocational training and higher education institutions were invited to the event: altogether, 230 students and pupils from 7 vocational training schools participated in the educational programmes. Thus, besides getting a comprehensive picture of design trends, participants also gained information about future career possibilities and the competitiveness of the profession.
At the opening event, hundreds of creative content pieces were made about the exhibition. The installation method and the presented design pieces were such a great success among the visitors that 360 Design Budapest achieved a reach of over one million on its social media platforms. This not only increased the visibility of Hungarian design domestically but also further strengthened the international recognition of the scene.
In addition, 360 Design Budapest assisted in creating connections between visitors and contemporary design and provided an opportunity for designers and manufacturers to meet. The “Meet the Designer and Manufacturer” programme facilitated professional collaborations and discussions while providing an opportunity for visitors to the exhibition to personally meet the representatives of their favourite design brands.
In the long term, the Hungarian Fashion & Design Agency aims to elevate Hungary into a regional design centre and, with the exhibition, open a gate for domestic creators and designers from the neighbouring countries, providing them with debuting opportunities and international fame. 360 Design Budapest has become an important platform of contemporary design as well as a valuable tool for industry knowledge transfer and increasing competitiveness.