The City of Chicago has released a proclamation declaring an official design week for the city, acknowledging Chicago‘s role as an international “design epicenter”.
Put forward by the Chicago city council and mayor’s office and effective for two years, the announcement recognises the significance of design in the city at a time when it hosts both long-running trade fair NeoCon and the recently established Fulton Market Design Days (Design Days) festival.
“The second week in June marks the annual confluence of NeoCon and Design Days, a global conference and expo that showcases design’s response to technological advances, cultural changes, and growing ecological consciousness,” said the proclamation.
“These events elevate Chicago as a design epicenter and draws the design community from around the world to our City.”
Chicago “world’s greatest design city”
In support of the measure, Chicago cited both its “illustrious history” of supporting architecture and urban planning and the fact that the International Interior Design Association (IIDA) has its headquarters in the city.
“Chicago is the world’s greatest design city, and IIDA is proud to make its home in a place that has supported great design throughout its history,” IIDA CEO/executive vice president Cheryl Durst told Dezeen.
“Having this proclamation from the city council and the mayor quite simply validates the high regard Chicago has for design and recognizes a key moment when the worldwide design community convenes in our city.”
There previously was an event with the same name, a partnership between cultural institutions including AIGA Chicago and the Design Museum of Chicago, but this has not taken place since 2020.
It’s unclear whether or not the proclamation of an official Chicago Design Week will have any on-the-ground effects on the already busy week.
However, the initiative could work to reduce what some have perceived as tension between NeoCon and Design Days, which is anchored by massive American furniture companies such as Miller Knoll.
Fairs need shareholder cooperation
Last year, Design Days development director Rob Tivadar told Dezeen that the city may “lose ground” to other fairs if there was not cooperation between the shareholders.
At the time, he said he was hopeful for the future and that “both sides know that there’s something that needs to be discussed”.
Other news from the world of design fairs, Dezeen editorial director Max Fraser took aim at the trends of “dressing up superfluous stuff” during Milan design week.
Elsewhere, New York’s annual NYCxDesign festival recently wrapped up, see Dezeen’s picks of 14 best furniture designs from the Big Apple’s design showcase.
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