NYCXDESIGN 2024
New York City gears up for its annual design week, NYCxDesign, returning for 2024 to celebrate innovations in design. This week-long festival encompasses a broad range of disciplines, including architecture, product design, furniture, and landscape architecture. Across Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens, attendees can expect exhibitions, installations, talks, and product launches focused on innovation, sustainability, and inclusivity in the design world. This year’s edition also features an inaugural NYCxDesign Keynote Series, offering daily presentations from leading design figures. Ahead of the festival, held this year from May 16th — 23rd, designboom rounds up some of the must-see city-wide events and exhibitions. Follow along as we take a closer look!
illustration by Hara Nika
POWER OF PLACE: DESIGNBOOM X IF DESIGN
iF Design — host of the prestigious international design award — will convene with rooftop cocktails & conversation. Exploring the ‘Power of Place’, the evening will open with an interdisciplinary panel moderated by designboom. Hosted at audio leader Harman’s New York design headquarters, a rooftop DJ performance will wrap festivities.
Panelists include architect Pascale Sablan, CEO of Adjaye Associates NY Studio, Global President of NOMA, and Founder of Beyond the Built Environment; Christian Schluender, Senior VP and General Manager of Global Design, HARMAN International and Huemen Design; and artist Roy Nachum, founder of Mercer Labs. Find out more about the panel, and watch it live here!
what: Power of Place, panel discussion
where: Harman / Huemen, 19 W. 44th Street 18th floor, New York City (by invitation only; RSVP required)
when: May 20th 5:30 pm — 8:00 pm
image via NYCxDesign
nycxdesign OPENING NIGHT PARTY at mercer labs
Mercer Labs, the immersive museum founded by artist Roy Nachum, will open for a celebration on the opening day of NYCxDesign 2024 to kick off the week-long festival. Design lovers and professionals are invited to gather and raise a toast to the upcoming festivities, exhibitions, and events. Located across the street from the iconic, Santiago Calatrava-designed Oculus, Mercer Labs is a museum of art and technology created by the New York-based artist, who designed the expansive series of otherworldly exhibits at every scale — from larger-than-life rooms to hidden details like poetry in braille lettering (see designboom’s coverage here). The Opening Night Party is hosted by NYCxDESIGN at and in partnership with Mercer Labs.
what: Mercer Labs Opening Night Party
where: Mercer Labs, 21 Dey St. New York City
when: May 16th, 2024, 6pm — 9pm
image © Mercer Labs
OUI DESIGN!
During NYCxDesign 2024, Oui! Design will offer a focused look at French design. The week-long program will partner with thirty galleries and workshops across New York City. This means visitors can expect to find exhibitions showcasing established and up-and-coming French designers scattered throughout various neighborhoods, from Chelsea to the artistic hubs of Brooklyn and Queens. Unlike a traditional design fair, Oui! Design goes beyond exhibits. Hosted by Villa Albertine, it promises live demonstrations by craftspeople, giving visitors a firsthand look at traditional French techniques.
what: Oui! Design
where: multiple locations
when: May 15th — 21st, 2024
image © Prelle, courtesy Oui! Design
SOHO DESIGN DAY
SoHo Design District (SDD) turns 10 this year! As a centerpiece of NYCxDesign 2024, SDD offers a year-long program of design experiences and networking alongside a robust festival presence. Throughout the festival week, explore the latest trends at SoHo member showrooms. The big day is SoHo Design Day on Saturday, May 18th, where all SDD member spaces will be open for the public to visit.
Established in 2014, SDD fosters a vibrant design community by providing a platform for its members to showcase their work, connect with fellow creatives, and host events. A special thanks goes to the member brands and design enthusiasts who have made this decade a success. For a celebratory twist, visit Eataly SoHo (200 Lafayette Street) from 5pm after a day of design exploration. Throughout the week-long festival, they’ll be offering a limited-edition Negroni Sour for $15 (mention SoHo Design District to redeem).
Members: Artemide, Amura, Boffi|DePadova, Carl Hansen & Son, Danese Milano, Foscarini, GART, MoMA Design Store, Original BTC, Poggenpohl, Salvatori, Scavolini, SAVOIR, Safavieh Home, Zafferano America.
what: SoHo Design Day
where: multiple locations
when: May 18th, 2024
image via NYCxDesign
GALERIE PHILIA PRESENTS ‘FLÂNERIES’
As part of Oui! Design’s week-long programming, Galerie Philia presents ‘Flâneries,’ an immersive artistic project that spans cultural boundaries to combine influences from both France and New York through the medium of ceramic art. This exhibition highlights Philia artists Lisa Allegra, Elisa Uberti, Elsa Foulon, Leontine Furcy, and Pia Chevalier. Together, the artists explore the intersection of nature, urbanity, and femininity, expressing their interpretations through the versatile medium of ceramics. The show’s title references ‘Flâneur,’ an ode to aimless wandering through a city. The artists draw inspiration from the ebb and flow of the city’s energy, translating it into tangible ceramic expressions.
what: Flâneries
where: 90 Morton St., New York City
when: May 20th — X, 2024
image © Galerie Philia
DESIGNING WOMEN IV: EILEEN GRAY’S HOUSE FOR TWO SCULPTORS
Egg Collective, an architecture firm with a focus on highlighting female designers, presents Designing Women IV: Eileen Gray’s House for Two Sculptors. This project taken on the underrepresentation of women in architecture by digitally realizing an unbuilt design by the late Eileen Gray. Gray’s House for Two Sculptors, imagined in 1933 but only documented in basic sketches, served as inspiration. Through in-depth research and by honoring Gray’s design principles, Egg Collective created photorealistic renderings that imagine the house if built. The project culminates in an exhibition featuring these renderings alongside furniture by Egg Collective and sculptures by contemporary artists Taylor Kibby and Molly Haynes, all inspired by Gray’s aesthetic.
what: Designing Women IV: Eileen Gray’s House for Two Sculptors
where: Egg Collective Showroom, 151 Hudson St. Storefront, New York City
when: May 15th — June 15th, 2024
image © Egg Collective
‘MUJI IS’ EXHIBITION
MUJI is celebrating its minimalist design philosophy and iconic packaging with the second iteration of its MUJI IS exhibition series at NYCxDESIGN. Overseeing MUJI’s Copywriting Atelier since 2001, Miyuki Tokunaga has shaped the brand’s language through concise product tag phrases. The exhibition features large-scale versions of these tags alongside corresponding MUJI items, highlighting the brand’s focus on ‘selection of materials,’ ‘streamlining of processes,’ and ‘simplification of packaging.’
what: MUJI IS
where: MUJI, 20 Hudson Yards, 4FL., New York City
when: May 16th — June 12th, 2024
image © MUJI
HERMAN MILLER ‘PICNIC ON PARK’
Herman Miller is celebrating its iconic Picnic Poster series and employee picnics with a special event at their flagship store in New York City. For three days during NYCxDesign, visitors can enjoy a picnic-inspired lunch, get a free tote displaying a graphic of this year’s poster along with a copy of the Ideas magazine, and see a reissue from the popular poster series.
The series began in 1970 when Steve Frykholm, a new graphic designer at Herman Miller, designed the first poster. Over the next 20 years, Frykholm created a new design each year, featuring classic summer food items. The posters became a cherished tradition and are now part of collections at MoMA and other museums. This year marks the third poster to be reissued, following the Sweet Corn (2021) and Watermelon (2023) posters.
The Picnic Poster series, originally designed for employee picnics, reflects Herman Miller’s company culture. Ideas magazine, also available at the event, explores the company’s history and future.
what: Herman Miller ‘Picnic on Park’
where: Herman Miller, 251 Park Avenue South, New York City
when: May 21st — 23rd, 2024, 12:00 pm — 2:00 pm
image © Herman Miller
POLTRONA FRAU UNVEILS NEW FLAGSHIP STORE
Poltrona Frau, a renowned Italian luxury furniture brand, announces the opening of its new flagship store on Madison Avenue in New York City. The spacious flagship (19,000 square feet) occupies a historic Art Deco building and features a variety of furniture and accessories for residential and commercial settings. Designed to be an experiential center, the store brings a curated selection from Poltrona Frau and other brands like Haworth’s Lifestyle Design Group, Ceccotti Collezioni, Cappellini, and Officine Gullo. This location also features a limited edition of the Leplì Stool and the Fornasetti-designed Vanity Fair XC armchair, both part of the 2024 Imagine Collection.
what: Poltrona Frau Flagship Opening
where: 181 Madison Avenue, New York City
when: May 18th, 9:30 am — May 20th, 9:00 pm
image © Poltrona Frau
JENNY HOLZER: LIGHT LINE
Jenny Holzer: Light Line revisits the artist’s iconic 1989 Guggenheim installation with a grand new iteration. The electronic sign will span all six ramps of Frank Lloyd Wright’s rotunda and will showcase scrolling text selections from her renowned ‘Truisms’ and ‘Inflammatory Essays’ series. The exhibition will also feature a selection of Jenny Holzer‘s paintings, works on paper, and stone pieces dating from the 1970s to the present. To further enhance the opening week, from May 17th — 20th, Holzer’s light projection ‘For the Guggenheim’ will grace the museum’s facade at sundown.
what: Jenny Holzer: Light Line
where: The Guggenheim Museum, 1071 5th Ave, New York City
when: May 17th — September 29th, 2024
image © Jenny Holzer
TOSHIKO TAKAEZU: WORLDS WITHIN
During NYCxDesign, the Isamu Noguchi Foundation and Garden Museum presents a major touring retrospective honoring artist Toshiko Takaezu. The show, titled Toshiko Takaezu: Worlds Within, is the first major survey of the artist’s work in over two decades. It will ultimately travel to several other locations across the U.S. Takaezu, an artist of Okinawan heritage born in Hawaii, was a leading figure in 20th century abstract art, and is best known for her ‘closed form’ ceramic vessels. These expressively glazed sculptures ranged from intimate pieces to large-scale installations that created immersive environments. By pushing the boundaries of the traditional vessel form, Takaezu transformed it into a three-dimensional canvas for artistic exploration. See designboom’s coverage here!
what: Toshiko Takaezu: Worlds Within
where: Noguchi Museum, 9-01 33rd Rd, Queens
when: March 20th — July 28th, 2024
image © Nicholas Knight
BREATHE WITH ME: AN IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE OF SWISS DESIGN
Breathe with Me is an immersive installation designed by Annabelle Schneider, presented by the Consulate General of Switzerland in New York. This multi-sensory space showcases new and iconic designs from Swiss brands at WSA, a cultural hub in Downtown Manhattan. The lounge uses breathable textiles, synchronized sounds, and soft furnishings to create a calming atmosphere. Fabrics move in response to the soundscape, mimicking soothing breathing patterns and offering a tranquil space in the heart of the city. The design reflects the essence of Swiss design, combining timeless aesthetics with modern functionality, and inviting visitors to relax and reflect.
what: Breathe With Me
where: WSA, 161 Water St., New York City
when: May 17th — May 23rd, 2024
image © Annabelle Schneider
OBJECTS ARE BY X LUKAS BENTEL (MSCHF)
OBJECTS ARE BY announces its collaboration with MSCHF creative director Lukas Bentel, showcasing his Jacquard woven tapestries at Gotham NY, inspired by his NYC upbringing. Fresh from their debut at Salone Del Mobile in Milan, OBJECTS ARE BY redefines homeware design with a future-conscious ethos. Founded by Phil America and Jenny D. Pham, it intersects art, fashion, and culture to challenge collaborators and prioritize sustainability. Experience their latest installation at Gotham NY’s Mezz Gallery, with the OBJECTS ARE BY x Lukas Bentel Opening Party on May 16th, 6-9pm.
what: OBJECTS ARE BY x LUKAS BENTEL
where: Gotham NY, 3 E 3rd St., New York City
when: May 17th — June 9th, 2024
image © OBJECTS ARE BY
NEW ARCLINEA KITCHEN COLLECTION
Arclinea, the esteemed kitchen brand, is celebrating the grand re-launch of its stunning New York showroom with an exclusive opening night event on May 17th. Guests will be treated to a seasonal risotto-tasting experience from Acquolina while enjoying the backdrop of Arclinea’s kitchen collection, curated by Antonio Citterio. This is a unique opportunity to meet the Arclinea leadership team visiting from Italy and discuss their innovative designs. The Arclinea team would be happy to connect during NYCxDESIGN 2024 and provide a personal tour of the renovated showroom.
what: Arclinea Kitchen Collection
where: Arclinea NY, 21 East 26th St, New York City
when: May 17th, 2024, 6:00pm –9:00pm
image © Arclinea
DESIGN WITHIN REACH X HELLER PRESENT FORTUNE CHAIR
Heller announces the launch of the Fortune Chair, designed by JUMBO, exclusively at Design Within Reach (DWR) and Heller stores during NYCxDesign. This new indoor/outdoor chair joins Heller’s growing furniture collection at DWR. The design duo behind JUMBO, Justin Donnelly and Monling Lee, drew inspiration from their love of food and simple design, particularly the iconic fortune cookie. Lee’s experience of having her first fortune cookie as a child immigrant shaped the chair’s design, referencing the cookie’s form, hidden message, and packaging. The puffy, 100% recyclable Fortune Chair embodies JUMBO’s signature style — symmetrical, spacious, and food-themed — and comes in six delicious colors: Oatmeal, Cookie, Olive, Tomato, Dark Cherry, and Licorice.
what: Design Within Reach x Heller Retrospective
where: DWR East 57th St. Studio, 957 Third Ave, New York City
when: May 17th — September 2nd, 2024
image courtesy DWR, Heller
INSERT COIN BY JAN KATH
The ‘Insert Coin’ collection by Jan Kath Carpets, launching during NYCxDesign 2024 in collaboration with artist Raphael Brunk, takes inspiration from arcade games. The creative process involves dissecting digital images of scenes like dark streets with neon signs or Miami car chases, breaking them down into their millions of pixels. This unrecognizable digital mush then becomes the color palette and knotting template for the hand-crafted rugs. Jan Kath interprets this abstract code, translating the roughly 1.7 million pixels back into a physical object, knot by knot. The resulting carpets are a blend of the virtual world and the craftsmanship of traditional rug making.
what: Insert Coin
where: 514 W 25th St., New York City
when: May 2nd — 31st, 2024
image © Jan Kath Carpets
Brooklyn Metal Works presents ‘Spoons’
The Brooklyn Metal Works gallery in Brooklyn’s Fort Greene neighborhood invites visitors to the opening reception of ‘Spoons,’ a group exhibition that explores the spoon’s surprising complexity. This everyday utensil, likened to an extension of the hand, has transformed throughout history, becoming not just functional but also beautiful and significant. The artists in ‘Spoons’ use a variety of materials and approaches to create works that are familiar and strange, practical and thought-provoking. Each piece reflects the unique perspective of its creator, celebrating the spoon’s enduring influence on our culture.
what: Spoons
where: 640 Dean Street 2nd Floor, Fort Greene, Brooklyn
when: May 17th — June 30th, 2024
image © Brooklyn Metal Works
HEAD HI LAMP SHOW
The 5th Annual HEAD HI Lamp Show is an annual exhibition that celebrates lighting design. Artists, designers, and craftspeople from all over the world submit their lamp creations, and a curated selection is displayed in the show. This is the first time the show will be held offsite, and it features work from over 300 international submissions. The lamps on display will be available for purchase. HEAD HI is a Fort Greene, Brooklyn destination which brings art and design to life through curated publications, cultural events, and an espresso bar.
what: HEAD HI Lamp Show
where: 102 Franklin St., Tribeca, New York City
when: May 17th — 19th, 2024
image © Fabrizio Amoroso, courtesy HEAD HI
MERCER STREET BLOCK PARTY AT ORIOR
The Mercer Street Block Party will celebrate design in in SoHo! On May 17th, from 6:00 to 9:00 pm, the event will feature several showrooms opening their doors to the public. Visitors can expect to see new projects, products, and special installations by participating brands including BDDW, Calico Wallpaper, Hem, Henrybuilt, Kasthall, Orior, Roll & Hill, and Stellar Works. Orior, one of the event’s organizers, will also be hosting an open house cocktail party at their showroom on Mercer Street, showcasing some of their latest designs alongside some of their established pieces.
what: Mercer Street Block Party
where: Orior Showroom, 32 Mercer Street, New York City
when: May 17th, 6:00 pm — 9:00 pm
harbour opens NYC flagship showroom
Australian outdoor furniture brand Harbour announced the opening of its global flagship showroom in New York City on May 17, 2024. The 8,000 square foot showroom will showcase Harbour’s new and existing collections designed and crafted by Nicholas and Harrison Condos, the co-founders of the company. The new showroom marks a milestone for the brand’s global expansion since its start in a Sydney workshop in 1976. Harbour is known for its quality craftsmanship and fabrics, its furniture found in luxury residential, commercial and hospitality projects worldwide.
what: Harbour NYC showroom launch
where: 60 Madison Ave, New York City
when: May 17th, 2024, 5:00 — 8:00pm
Harbour’s new collections (Como shown here) are displayed in the new showroom | image © Harbour
LAMPES SÈVRES: RONAN BOUROULLEC X MANUFACTURE NATIONALE DE SÈVRES
The Manufacture nationale de Sèvres is back in the United States with a new collaboration. French designer Ronan Bouroullec created ‘Lampes Sèvres,’ a collection of lamps which show a unique combination of tradition and modernity. The base is made of aluminum, while the shade is a Sèvres porcelain corolla, crafted and glazed using time-honored techniques. Each shade is unique due to a special firing process that creates random crystalization patterns. Bouroullec is a renowned designer known for his focus on how people interact with objects in their homes. The Manufacture de Sèvres, founded in 1740, is known for its commitment to both preserving tradition and encouraging artistic innovation. They employ highly skilled craftspeople and use age-old techniques to create works of both art and design. Sèvres is a unique entity in the art world, serving as both a keeper of history and a hub of creative progress.
what: Lampes Sèvres
where: Villa Albertine, 972 5th Ave, New York City
when: May 15th — May 21st, 2024
image via NYCxDesign
ASE: AFRO FREQUENCIES
A new exhibition titled ASE: AFRO FREQUENCIES is on display at ARTECHOUSE NYC. This immersive experience features the work of London-based digital artist Vince Fraser alongside the poetry of Ursula Rucker. Fraser’s art explores the Afrofuturist concept of aṣẹ, a Yoruba belief in the power of creation and self-actualization. The entire exhibition is a vibrant and meditative exploration of resilience, cultural heritage, and the possibilities that lie ahead.
what: ASE: AFRO FREQUENCIES
where: ARTECHOUSE, 439 W 15th St, New York City
when: March 22nd — September 9th, 2024
image via ARTECHOUSE
LEE BROOM: ALCHEMIST
Lee Broom will be showcasing his new lighting collection, Alchemist, at his Tribeca showroom and Penthouse during NYCxDesign 2024. Inspired by the novel ‘The Alchemist’ and the concept of alchemy, the collection explores the transformation of base metals into beautiful objects through light. Alchemist is divided into four lighting ranges — Mythos, King, Solstice and Gemini — and features chandeliers, pendants, and sconces made from traditionally welded brass combined with glass, acrylic, and leather.
The Lee Broom Tribeca Penthouse, where the collection will be previewed, is a stunning duplex that serves a dual purpose: a private showroom viewable by appointment and the designer’s residence when he’s in New York City. Located on the fifth and sixth floors, it’s the first sustainable historic restoration of its kind in NYC, flooded with natural light, sweeping views, and two terraces.
what: The Alchemist
where: Lee Broom Penthouse, Tribeca, New York City (appointment only)
when: May 17th — May 23rd, 2024
image © Lee Broom
POLIFORM OUTDOOR COLLECTION LAUNCH
Poliform offers a new outdoor furniture collection designed by renowned names like Jean-Marie Massaud, Emmanuel Gallina, Marcel Wanders, and Soo Chan. This collection extends the brand’s signature style to outside spaces, featuring carefully crafted pieces that range from loungers to dining sets. The focus is on creating a balance between form and functionality, with an emphasis on timeless design and natural elegance. This new collection allows you to redefine the outdoor living experience by transforming these spaces into an extension of the contemporary home.
what: Poliform Outdoor Collection Launch
where: Poliform, 112 Madison Ave, New York City
when: May 17th — 23rd, 2024
image © Poliform
PIERRE YOVANOVITCH X CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN: GALLERY TOUR
A new furniture collection designed by Pierre Yovanovitch in collaboration with Christian Louboutin will be unveiled on May 20th. This special event will feature a guided tour by Vice President Francesca Falzone Mastrella. The collection, inspired by a decade-long friendship between the designers, celebrates strong female figures. It features nine limited-edition chairs inspired by icons like Nefertari and Dita von Teese, alongside an open-edition series named ‘Simply Nude.’ The entire collection is meticulously crafted by the finest French artisans, showcasing both designers’ appreciation for exquisite craftsmanship and their shared vision of feminine beauty.
what: Pierre Yovanovitch x Christian Louboutin: Gallery Tour
where: May 20th, 4:00 pm — 5:00 pm
when: Pierre Yovanovitch Mobilier, 555 W 25th St, New York City
image © Pierre Yovanovitch
Hem Open House Party
The Hem SoHo Showroom opens its doors for an evening of celebration during NYCxDesign 2024. The event will showcase Hem’s latest releases, including furniture pieces from Marco Campardo, Soft Baroque, and Faye Toogood. Guests will have the exclusive opportunity to discover the newest limited-edition objects from the Hem X series, curated by Superhouse, Hem’s first New York-based curator.
what: Hem Open House Party
where: Hem SoHo Showroom, 460 Broome Street #201, FL.2 New York City
when: May 17th, 2024, 5pm — 9pm
images © Hem
KINDRED SPIRITS: JOAN MIRÓ AND ALEXANDER CALDER
Joan Miró and Alexander Calder, two pioneering figures of modern art, are the focus of ‘Kindred Spirits’ at Opera Gallery New York. Despite their different backgrounds and artistic approaches, a deep friendship and mutual admiration connected them for nearly five decades. The exhibition explores this bond, showcasing their artistic dialogue and its influence on each other’s work. Miró, known for his whimsical canvases, and Calder, whose artistic journey was shaped by engineering and transforming everyday objects, both shared a mastery of various mediums and a visual language rooted in form and color. ‘Kindred Spirits’ traces their parallel paths through the evolution of 20th century art, highlighting the enduring impact of their creative exchange.
what: Kindred Spirits: Joan Miró and Alexander Calder
where: Opera Gallery New York, 791 Madison Ave, New York City
when: May 2nd — June 8th, 2024
images © Opera Gallery New York
MISHA KAHN STUDIO SALE
text by the studio: This summer, after more than ten years making work in Brooklyn, Misha Kahn will be moving his studio out of New York City. You’re invited to visit the studio and to shop early pieces, samples, and prototypes — all of which will have friendly prices. Just a few blocks from other studios such as Chen Chen and Kai Williams, Saturday afternoon is the perfect time to visit Sunset Park and celebrate NYCxDESIGN. Maybe the robots will even mix drinks!
what: Misha Kahn Studio Sale
where: Misha Kahn Studio, 129 26th St, Brooklyn
when: May 18th, 2024, 2:00pm — 6:00pm
image © Misha Kahn Studio
project info:
festival: NYCxDesign 2024 | @nycxdesign
dates: May 16th — 23rd, 2024
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