360 Design Budapest concluded with almost 4,000 visitors and full-house programmes

360 Design Budapest, held by the Hungarian Fashion & Design Agency (HFDA) for the fourth time, returned with a selection broader than ever between the 17^th and the 22^nd of October 2023: nearly 4,000 visitors viewed the works of more than 60 domestic and regional designers and artists, over 200 items, in the Adria Palace. All the chairs were full at the programmes of Rossana Orlandi, chief guest of the event, and at the Italian design brands’ panel discussion. The Meet the Designer and Manufacturers programmes and exclusive guided tours were also popular.

360 Design Budapest, which has received numerous awards in previous years, was a great success again among people interested in the Hungarian and regional creative industry. Nearly 4,000 people visited the Adria Palace during the exhibition week, where over 60 creators debuted, including 14 regional brands and 15 emerging talents. In addition to the people who came to the venue, the event's Facebook and Instagram channels reached more than 700,000 users during the event.

In 2023, the exhibition’s concept was expanded: in addition to product designers, industrial and fine artists as well as manufacturers appeared in the exhibition space. As the result of the collaboration with Gáspár Bonta, curator of 360 Design Budapest, a special installation space came to life in the Adria Palace. The concept drawing upon the meeting of past and present and preserving and renewing the Hungarian cultural heritage created a dialogue between traditional industrial art techniques and their reinterpretations. The exhibition called attention to the importance of cultural heritage and its inspirational opportunities.

The educational programmes were also popular at the exhibition: many people participated in the exclusive guided tours and the programmes of chief guest Rossana Orlandi. The seats were all taken at the manufacturer-designer duos’ presentations as part of design LAB curated by Rossana Orlandi, just like at the Creative Dialogue with young people as its target audience, where the world-famous curator talked about her decades-long professional experience. On Friday, in an extended roundtable discussion, one of the founders of the Italian 6AM:Glassworks, the co-founder of the NM3 design studio in Milan, and the sales representatives of Dimore, Nilufar, and 6AM shared their views on the role of cultural heritage in design. In addition, the visitors took the opportunity to meet the exhibitors in the Meet the Designer and Meet the Manufacturers programmes.

360 Design Budapest’s concept was also praised by the media. The HFDA invited regional trade journalists to a study tour; thus, representatives of the Czech Dolce Vita, the Italian Elle Decor and Interni Magazine, and the American FamilyStyle US participated in 360 Design Budapest and also got a taste of the capital’s tourist and cultural offer. Around 20 press outlets were represented at the press launch event for the national media.

For the first time this year, different side events realised by the partners complemented the regional design exhibition programme, which contributed to spreading the fame of design and arts in a broader circle. For instance, the Független Iparművészeti Kortárs Szalon (FIKSZ) held a weekend design fair where visitors could purchase the creations of over 40 leading domestic industrial artists directly from the makers. Virág Judit Galéria provided a special occasion for visiting the Zsolnay exhibition. The exhibition features the best-known Art Nouveau and Art Deco-style vases, flower pots, and decorative plates. Code Showroom presented the works of the Italian designer duo, Edoardo Pandolfo and Francesco Palù, the founders of 6:AM Glassworks, for the first time in Hungary at 360 Design Budapest.  In addition to the professional day realised with Art Market Budapest, the public transport in Budapest also held a unique surprise for travellers: they could take a design tram between the venues of Art Market Budapest and 360 Design Budapest on tram line 2.

The HFDA has created its programme this year in collaboration with numerous Hungarian and international organisations, showing the cultural richness of Central Europe and its creative industry in different dimensions. In 2023, 360 Design Budapest’s cooperation partners were Art Market Budapest, the Museum of Applied Arts, Czechdesign, Code Showroom, JAB Anstoetz Group, Max City, Virág Judit Galéria, FIKSZ and Roadster magazine.

You can re-watch the exhibition’s closing video on the HFDA’s YouTube channel.