The inaugural Kyiv Design Week is currently on display in Zurich as part of the Swiss city’s own design week, with a selection of events also taking place in Ukraine.
Titled Kyiv: City of Changes, the first Kyiv Design Week is being hosted by Zurich Design Week due to the ongoing war in Ukraine.
The event marks the first time that Zurich Design Week has invited another country to join forces during the city-wide programme that takes place in various locations.
Presented by the Design4Ukraine association, Kyiv Design Week brings together graphic, object, collectible and industrial design, as well as cyber fashion and arts and crafts.
The wide-ranging event spans exhibitions, presentations, documentary screenings and performances as well as a light show.
While the majority of the programme is taking place in Zurich, a number of public events are also taking place in Kyiv itself this week.
“Design4Ukraine has been planning this event for quite a long time but unfortunately, due to the pandemic first and now the full-scale war, we were unable to implement all the ideas developed,” said Kyiv Design Week co-founders Anastasia Biletska and Yaroslav Belinskiy.
“However, launching Kyiv Design Week in the format it is now is important for our country as it will help communicate the role of the Ukrainian capital in a global conversation in the creative community,” they added.
“Kyiv has always been the centre of the crossroads of different cultures remaining the foundation of freedom for self-expression. Despite the war, Kyiv keeps inspiring us to dream, create and change even in difficult times like now.”
Participating designers include Ukrainian studio Donna, which is showing colourful furniture pieces, and a collection called The Roots of the Future by the Ukrainian Fashion Education Group.
The design week is funded by the German government’s ReACT4UA programme.
Other recent projects by Ukrainian creatives include Zikzak Architects’ design for the first Ronald McDonald House in Ukraine and a log cabin-style house renovation by Balbek Bureau.
The images are courtesy of Kyiv Design Week.
Kyiv Design Week is on display in Zurich and Kyiv in various locations from 31 August to 19 September 2023. See Dezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world.
