NEW YORK, NY -- Dwell on Design returned to New York from October 2-4, 2015, expanding to Skylight Clarkson Square and growing its East Coast footprint. The innovative three-day event attracted attendees and participants from across North America to explore modern design through on-stage content, product and art installations, home tours, and Dwell Design Week events. Editor-curated content was presented on two stages with a focus on the business of design, resiliency, furniture and product design, and authentic design, and included more than 15 continuing education opportunities.
Dwell on Design New York continued to succeed as the more intimate counterpart to its West Coast edition, a format that made it a favorite among design enthusiasts and trade professionals in its first year. Onstage programs covered topics, including "Reimagining a More Resilient New York," "The Intersection of Architecture and Furniture Design," Haier's stage program, "How Small Spaces are Transforming the Design Industry," "Future Cities: An Interdisciplinary Response to Climate Change," "3-D Printing and Intellectual Design," "Reinventing the Suburb," "The New Skyscraper," and "From Passive Houses to Living Roofs: Green Design in the Heart of the City."
"After a very successful event in Los Angeles in May, Dwell on Design has continued to find its footing and voice in New York," said Dwell President and CEO Michela O'Connor Abrams. "It was of great importance for Dwell to be among the organizations leading the design conversation in New York during the month of October, and beyond. I'm proud to say that we were incredibly successful this year in bringing to the forefront the most relevant issues in the industry -- resiliency, authenticity, the business of design, and furniture and product design -- with top professionals shaping the future of architecture and design."
Dwell on Design NY 2015 highlights included:
· Keynote conversation led by Pulitzer Prize-winning author and Vanity Fair architecture critic, Paul Goldberger, with award-winning architect, Eric Owen Moss, who took the audience through a spirited discussion of Los Angeles and Frank Gehry that highlighted the trials of avant-garde architecture. "If you fail, you're out, and if you succeed you're out," said Eric Owen Moss. To which Paul Goldberger quickly replied, "It's the paradox of the avant-garde." Attendees purchased copies of Goldberger's newly released book -- Building Art -- following the discussion, and were treated to a book signing by the author and keynote speaker.
· Other speakers included artist, Wendell Castle, joined onstage by guest moderator, Dennis Miller, and designers, Donna Feldman and Jiun Ho, to discuss what makes a good design stand the test of time; WeWork chief creative officer and co-founder, Miguel McKelvey, in conversation about the new meaning of hospitality with award-winning designer, Matthew Rosenberg, and renowned architect, Morris Adjmi, FAIA; internationally-acclaimed architect, Howard Elkus, Related Companies vice president, Michael Samuelian, and landscape designer, Thomas Woltz, convened onstage to discuss how to create an authentic neighborhood from the ground-up in Manhattan's 28-acre Hudson Yards development; along with speakers, Adrian Benepe' of New York's Trust for Public Land; architect, Alexander Gorlin; Claire Weisz, FAIA; The Ace Hotel executive, Kelly Sawdon; Ben Watson, executive creative director of Herman Miller; 3-D printing expert, Francis Bitonti; designer' Fu-Tung Cheng; Decorist founder' Gretchen Hansen; architect, Chad Oppenheim; and many more.
· Product debuts from Resource Furniture, including La Literatura -- a highly customizable shelving system that can include hideaway desks, drawers and moveable shelves -- as well as a luxurious modular sofa, Flex, expandable indoor and outdoor tables, Plurimo and Trim, and the latest in its wall covering line from photographer, Tom Haga, and Lena Johnsen -- Nature -- which features large-scale images of Norwegian landscapes on PVC-free wallpaper made from sustainably managed forests. Carl Hansen & Søn also showcased new designs in one of the lounge areas, including the Signature Chair by Frits Henningsen, selections from the Colonial Series, and a piece from a new rug collection launching in 2016. Other product debuts included Kessick Wine Storage's Elevate line; Moooi's new collection of carpets designed by Dwell on Design L.A. 2015 keynote speaker Marcel Wanders; Concrete Collaborative's handcrafted fish scale tile; and Ergotron Home -- an offshoot of the Ergotron brand offering standing desk solutions for the home and office.
· A live art installation by Raydoor brought to life the brand's tagline -- The Art of Division -- by showcasing the work of five artists who created pieces on Raydoor sliding doors over the course of the three-day event. Artists featured in the installation were Hektad, Lana Abraham-Murawski, George "SEN-One" Morillo, Nicole Khan, and King Amsterdam. Textile artist Hiroko Takeda's work was showcased at the entrance to the venue, and included pieces inspired by Dutch paintings featured in an exhibit at Manhattan museum The Frick Collection.
· Dwell Manhattan Home Toursallowed attendees to tour five unique Manhattan residences, from a Tribeca loft to a penthouse on the Upper East Side. Ticket holders were also able to attend the ever-popular 'Meet the Architects' night, where the architects and designers behind the projects shared insight on the inspiration for the designs and how they met the varied needs of the homeowners.
· Designer, Dror Benshetrit, closed the onstage content with Roy Kim, CCO of Douglas Elliman, and former key design chief for Extell Development, developer of One57, in a discussion on what tomorrow's skyscraper will look like.
The conference took place during AIANY's Archtober -- a month-long architecture and design festival now in its fifth year -- of which Dwell is the presenting media sponsor for the fourth consecutive year and Dwell on Design New York is a participant.
