So be sure to complete your free registration, grab your Signature Appliances official tote bag, plan your route, and dive into Alexandria for a day of design inspiration. 

See the latest products with a slew of design launches

Saturday Indesign is your go-to for exclusive access to product launches, meaning you’ll be the first to know about Industry’s next big thing. The Alexandria precinct is brimming with the newest launches, including an Outdoor Rugs Launch by Florabelle Living, a new “Activation Rock” product at Anterior XL, a new ZETR product at Living Edge, and a launch and installation welcoming Knoll, also at Living Edge. 

Sharpen up your design knowledge with talks 

You could spend all day in Alexandria and never run out of talks to go to, with materiality, product use and wellbeing all on the agenda. Start your day off early with a 10am talk on Clay at Kaolin Porcelain Surfaces, while Molmic and Kave Home will also hold talks that explore themes close to the brands, starting from 11am respectively. 

Head back to Kaolin for an 11:45am talk by the inimitable Greg Natale, while at 1:00pm, Living Edge will host a curated panel discussion on Exploring Wellbeing, Connection, And Change.

For the afternoon sessions, Kave Home will repeat their morning talk for late risers at 1:00pm, Kaolin will host a design chat shortly after at 1:45pm, DesignByThem will run a not-to-be-missed “meet the designers” session at 2:00pm, before we head back to Kaolin for Alexandria’s final two talks of the day: a co-hosted session with Maxton Fox on Empowering Signature Design and a panel discussion on Australian aesthetics.

Connect over hospitality spreads and showroom tours

Fuel your design adventure with hospitality offerings and get to know the showrooms of Alexandria while you sip on coffees and aperitifs.  

First up is Kaolin and Maxton Fox, who will kick off the morning with a serving of tea and scones, match these with some bubbly at LightCo, who will host mimosas and music from 9:30-11:00am. As the day sets in, head to Living Edge for a Danish Brunch from 11:00am-12:00pm, and then keep the European theme going with Paella at Kave Home from 12:00pm and live jazz, Mediterranean bites and Aperol at Florabelle Living from 1:00pm. 

LightCo will keep the good vibes going with an afternoon “Grill and Groove” session from 130pm, while Molmic and Living Edge will wrap up the day with each hosting a happy hour(s) from 3:00pm, while Kaolin and Maxton Fox will kick their own cocktail hour off from 4:30pm. 

Be sure to caffeinate with Mecca coffee, which will be roasted at DesignByThem from 10:00am-3:00pm, while Anterior XL will pay homage to their heritage with a “Mangia with Nonna” which will be serving up Italian hospitality right throughout the day.  

Combine your hospitality with some connecting and showroom tours, with Kaolin hosting a showroom tour at 11:30am, then combining with Maxton Fox for a meet and greet lunch at 12:45pm. DesignByThem will also host a meet and greet over aperitivo at 2:00pm.  

Get creative with workshops and installations

Get ready to see the unexpected in Alexandria, with many of the showrooms putting on one-off installations and running immersive workshops to deliver all the inspiration you need. If you’re keen to dive into design, explore colour themes with Kaolin and Maxton Fox, or put on your dancing shoes with Flamenco at Kave Home. 

Kave have also created a floral installation that is a must-see, Maxton Fox will be awarding an emerging designer award, while Living Edge have activations inspired by the outdoors, innovation, and a third that will have you voting for your favourite Magis Puppy. 

Win big in Alexandria and all over Saturday Indesign

Saturday Indesign wouldn’t be complete without an iconic prize pool, and this year we’re taking it up a notch, with the inaugural Design Passport in play throughout the event. Featuring a prize pool worth over $35,000, the Design Passport is open to attendees who check in to 10 or more showrooms throughout the day and is the easiest way to win big at Saturday Indesign. 

Plus, win some of your favourite products and experiences thanks to your favourite brands, with Living Edge, Anterior XL, Florabelle Living, and Kaolin and Maxton Fox all having giveaways throughout the day.

End a day of design with a night to remember

With so much on in Alexandria and right across the Saturday Indesign map, you’re in for a day of design you’ll never forget. But of course, the event doesn’t end when the last bus shuts its doors, rather attendees are invited to dance the night away at the official Saturday Indesign afterparty. Presented by Signature Appliances, be sure to grab a ticket before they run out – this is a party you won’t want to miss!

Key event details:
Saturday Indesign
7 September, 2024
9am-5pm
Top design locations across Sydney
Free to attend! Register now!

The post Head to Alexandria this Saturday Indesign for an event experience not to forget! appeared first on Saturday Indesign.

That’s right – Saturday Indesign’s full schedule has been announced, and it includes all the product launches, workshops, installations, tours, and hospitality that makes the event industry’s most loved day of the year.

As all Saturday Indesign regulars would know, our annual Design Discussion talk program is one of the hottest program sessions in town. Curated by our Indesign editorial team, the discussions feature panels of iconic and emerging talent exploring the most pressing topics and challenges facing designers today. This year’s lineup includes sessions on everything from adaptive reuse to the evolution of design typologies, and features speakers from across the spectrum of Australia’s architecture and design scene.

All Design Discussions are free to attend but often have only limited seats available, with capacities varied depending on the size of the host showroom. One thing’s for sure, as one of Saturday Indesign’s most loved components, each talk will be quick to fill up and bursting at the scenes. To avoid disappointment, or having to resort to listening in at the door, we recommend getting into the host showroom early and reserving your space for a front row experience.

Want to start planning your Design Discussion itinerary? Read on to see what we have coming up, head to our what’s on page to see everything that’s happening on Saturday September 7.

Saturday Indesign Design Discussions

10:00am-10:30am
Jardan, Paddington
Sustainability From The Start: How Do You Design With Reuse In Mind?

The most effective approaches to sustainability today involve factoring it in from the very beginning of the design process. Instead of playing catch-up once the object is already made, the most forward-thinking designers are already working through reuse, recycling and circular economy before the sketching pencil has even left the page. This panel will discuss the effectiveness of having an in-house research and design team, as well as getting perspectives from designers who work at larger scales and often make specification decisions.

On this panel: Chris Fox (Studio Chris Fox), Nick Garnham (Jardan), Tim Phillips (Tilt)

10:30am-11:00am
Winnings, Waterloo
Adaptive Reuse: A Deep Dive With Leading Industry Experts

It’s the topic and typology on every architect’s lips, but what exactly is adaptive reuse and why is it such an important talking point? This discussion brings together three heavy-hitters with some of the most recent, impressive project experience in this area. Drawing on global and local examples, the panellists will discuss why adaptive reuse is a meaningful approach to sustainability, what they’ve learned from recent projects, and what the future might hold in this space.

On this panel: John Prentice (Woods Bagot), Yi-han Cao (Tzannes), Sarah Hurst (FK)

11:00am-11:30am
Special Lights, Waterloo
Light And Dark In Outdoor Spaces

Light is only meaningful insofar as there is dark, so how do designers approach and deal with questions of shadow, natural light and atmosphere in outdoor residential spaces? This panel will bring together diverse practitioners of design, asking them to consider how their areas of expertise overlap when it comes to creating atmosphere and mood. They will also consider the environmental dimensions of outdoor lighting, as well as the growing distinction between function and decoration in these spaces.

On this panel: Sally Evans (Nexus Designs), Alexandra Kidd (Alexandra Kidd), Jason Gibney (Jason Gibney Design Workshop)

11:00am-11:30am
Savage Design, Surry Hills
Who Designs For The Designers? Product Specifications And The Value Of Hardware

Architects and designers often like to control a project at every scale, from the building facade to the door handle – but what about the expertise of products manufacturers and designers? Do other designers truly value and understand what they do? You might be familiar with how specification decisions are made, but this discussion will explore why. Our panellists will discuss the rationale behind hardware choices and, with a focus on metals, their importance to the success or failure of a project.

On this panel: Brooke Lloyd (COX Architecture), Dale O’Brien (Gray Puksand), Joel Savage (Savage Design)

11:30am-12:00pm
La Cornue, Surry Hills
Timeless Taste: Heritage Meets Innovation In Kitchen Design

Every brand is interested in innovation, technology and new ways of doing luxury — but not every one has a heritage stretching back into centuries-long artisan traditions. France has a long and prestigious tradition of cuisine, and many Australian designers look to Europe for inspiration. This panel will discuss how tradition and heritage affect design in terms of innovation, luxury and technology.

On this panel: Thomas Hamel (Thomas Hamel), Harleen Grewal (Alexandra Kidd), Eva-Marie Prineas (Studio Prineas)

12:00pm-12:30pm
Seeho Su, Waterloo
Women Designers Leading The Charge Towards Circular Economy

Before ‘sustainability’ became a buzzword, some companies were already practising principles of recycling and reuse as standard. This discussion will hone in on circular economy to ask what it really means, what’s new about it, and what it looks like in practice. More specifically, the all-women panel will bring a specifically female angle to a whose roots are all too often tied up with extractive, machismo modes of design. Celebrating the careers of women as experts in design, the discussion will bring a refreshing dynamic to the debate.

On this panel: Tracey Wiles (Woods Bagot), Fiona Young (Hayball), Laura Hamilton-O’Hara (Living Future Institute of Australia)

3:30pm-4:00pm
Kaolin Porcelain Surfaces, Alexandria
The Evolution Of Australian Aesthetics

What distinguishes Australian design aesthetics from those elsewhere? The answer given a century would likely have been very different to today’s. This panel will discuss how the idea of Australian aesthetics has changed, and even ask whether there is such a thing as a single Australian aesthetic. Specificity of place, in terms of climate and regional identity, will crossover with connection to Country and Australia’s contemporary identity as a multicultural, urbanised nation to consider what design aesthetics here mean in 2024.

On this panel: Bradhly Le (RIZEN Atelier), Nicole Monks (Nicole Monks), Lorena Gaxiola (Lorena Gaxiola)

With more speakers to be announced, keep your eyes peeled for updates and register today to be the first to know when new scheduled items or activations drop.

Saturday Indesign returns to Sydney on 7th September 2024. Attend on day and be in with the chance to win over $35,000 worth of prizes. Don’t forget to pick up your official Saturday Indesign X Signature Appliance tote bag to carry all your bits and bobs, available at all participating exhibitor locations.

Want to keep the party going once the showrooms close their doors? Tickets are now also on sale for the Saturday Indesign X Signature Appliances Official Afterparty! Don’t miss out, grab your tickets to the industry’s hottest party here.

The post Saturday Indesign’s Design Discussion Schedule has dropped – and there are some talks you won’t want to miss! appeared first on Saturday Indesign.