Design Montreal Open House

[jesseps]

Eighty-five designers and architects, and only two days to see them all. Where to start?

 

That's a predicament you'll face this weekend with the fourth annual Design Montreal Open House, in which the people who design our clothes, websites, buildings and much more throw open their doors for the curious to snoop around inside.

 

The best strategy: focus on a few things, and stick to those.

 

"Don't scatter yourself," advises Helen Fotopulos, who's in charge of design on the executive committee of the City of Montreal, which is hosting the event with the Quebec ministry of culture.

 

It's happening Saturday and Sunday, between noon and 5 p.m., and it's a grab-bag of good taste.

 

"If this is the first time you're doing it, find a neighbourhood where you can

 

easily go from place to place - taking a bike is a good idea," said Fotopulos, a councillor in Côte des Neiges borough.

 

"If you've done it before, then go for things you haven't seen before. Unless you're really set on architecture or landscape architecture or fashion or industrial design, mix it up. And if you can, buy something - it's good for the economy."

 

There's no lack of choice.

 

You can meet designers where they work, people who have won national and international competitions in architecture, fashion, graphics, urban planning, landscape architecture, and interior and industrial design.

 

You can see exhibits by graduating students of architecture and design, tour landmarks of urban design like the Théâtre de Quat'Sous, listen to podcasts of themed walking itineraries and, for kids ages 10 and up, take part in educational activities that are also fun.

 

And on Saturday from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Society for Arts and Technology, on the Lower Main, you can watch nine young designers craft things like luxury denim jeans, metal pendants and hardwood furniture, then party with them until midnight.

 

Rather read about what to do in real-time? Well, four bloggers will be blogging on the Open House website, sharing their favourite sites so you can figure out where to go.

 

Two days isn't a lot of time. You're bound to miss a lot. See what you can.

 

"Montreal is a UNESCO city of design, and we take that seriously," said Fotopulos. "It's a big world out there. A lot of people are looking to see what designs they can come up with, and we have to live up to that standard."

 

The fourth annual Design Montreal Open House runs Saturday and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. Access to the 85 sites is free of charge. The only evening event is Saturday from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Society for Arts and Technology, 1195 St. Laurent Blvd. For the full schedule and list of sites and designers, go to http://DesignMontrealOpenHouse.com

 

(Courtesy of The Montreal Gazette)

[jesseps]

There is 16 architects showing on Saturday and 15 on Sunday. Thats a lot of ground to cover. If any of you are into fashion there is 8 designers showing on Saturday and Sunday. Plus there is other categories, such as: urban design, interior design and others.