The Agenda: SF Design Week, L.A. Design Fest, and the Archer Hotel Napa
Author:Lindsey ShookDesign Forum
This year, the annual weeklong design series is thinking about the future. The 200+ events on the lineup explore SFDW’s “Start Here” theme, which even has its own hashtag #StartHereSFDW. From talks and tours to exhibitions and workshops, design enthusiasts will have the chance to experience a designer’s life firsthand through these immersive events. On June 7, Google X designer-researcher Yasaman Sheri will lead a kitchen science lab about designing food experiences through the senses using olfactory-augmented interactions. Also on the 7th, LookyLoo CEO Chia-Lin Simmons will lead a session on the future of apparel and cosmetics retail powered by artificial intelligence. Over the course of the week, influential design editor Diane Dorrans Saeks will lead private tours of interior design studios, including Ken Fulk Designs, otherwise not open to the public. And don’t miss Airbnb’s spatial installation, Gensler’s entry pavilion experience, and Autodesk’s many events at the Pier 27 Design Hub home base before you call it a week.
When: Thurs. 6/7–Fri. 6/15
Where: Various venues, San Francisco
Festival
This week L.A. Design Fest enters its eighth year as the only citywide festival of its kind, with more than 50 events throughout the greater Los Angeles area. Celebrating the city’s status as a global design capital, this year’s festival kicks off with a block party at ROW DTLA, when stores will stay open late to host after-hours parties, workshops, and special exhibitions. Stockholm-based design brand, Hem, will debut its first West Coast retail presence with a monthlong shop-in-shop at Poketo’s Project Space. A+R welcomes Lee Broom for the West Coast debut of his latest collection, Observatory, plus a lively conversation with the London design star—over gin and tonics, of course. Check out installations from renowned designers, including Eric Junker, Krystal Chang Projects, and Susan Maddux. Or, for a more laid-back experience, kick up your feet at one of several design lounges presented by MUJI and Tidelli.
When: Thurs. 6/7–Sun. 6/10
Where: Various venues, Los Angeles
Open Studio
Consider this a chance to support and celebrate phenomenal Bay Area brands with local design outlets Koncept 22 and Fells Andes. See their latest collections firsthand—from stunning modern textiles and accessories from Fells Andes to the curated collection of Danish-Scandinavian furniture and lighting from Koncept 22. Meet the designer and founders and peruse the contemporary work of local artist Matt Templeton. Then, stick around for drinks, design talk, and the chance to win a fun raffle prize.
When: 5 – 8 p.m., Thurs. 6/14
Where: Koncept 22 + Fells Andes, 1633 Market St., San Francisco
Archer Hotel Napa
Opening
Downtown Napa has been undergoing quite a renaissance, and the new Archer Hotel Napa is one more reason to plan a long weekend in Wine Country. The slick, design-forward hotel anchors the $200-plus million First Street Napa mixed-use development and boasts 183 luxe-rustic rooms and suites outfitted in gray and gold. In-room perks include wine fridges, Frette bathrobes, and room service by Charlie Palmer Steak. But the real showstopper is Sky & Vine, the rooftop restaurant and bar, plus a shallow ledge pool with submerged chaises, fire pits, and 360-degree views of the valley. The pool is for guests only—all the more reason to book your stay stat.
When: Now accepting reservations
Where: 1230 First St., Napa
Environment
How much do you know about plastic pollution in our oceans? If you’re like us, you could use a refresher, and what better time than World Oceans Day on June 8? Get started by joining a beach clean-up—they’re happening at 49 locations along the California coast (just go to worldoceansday.org and click on “find an event” for a beach near you). Then, put your money where your mouth is by supporting companies like PathWater, a startup making ultra-purified water using reverse osmosis, and promoting the use of reusable water bottles.
When: Fri. 6/8
Where: 49 locations along the California Coast
Conference
Finally, an educational organization dedicated to supporting the art of furniture making and its place in the world as our culture becomes increasingly digital. Created with designers, artists, makers, collectors, retailers and students, this year’s conference also looks towards the future. Through a series of panels, tours, and workshops, the country’s most visionary designers, artisans, technologists, and entrepreneurs will cover topics ranging from the role of women in the furniture craft industry to sustainability and advanced materials to shifting consumption patterns and the intersection of technology and design. If you’re at all interested in design, art, and the maker culture, get yourself a ticket to this special conference.
When: Wed. 6/13–Sat. 6/16
Where: Dogpatch Studios, 991 Tennessee St., San Francisco
