Under the theme #together, the event welcomed over 15,000 visitors between June 4th – 13th in Bucharest and emphasized the importance, the success and the contribution that creative industries have in society.
The 2021 edition was one of the most complex organized so far and presented the public with a vast exhibition circuit, complemented by a series of satellite events held throughout the city.
For the second consecutive year, the main location of the festival was Combinatul Fondului Plastic, a place that hosted design exhibitions and indoor installations, alongside outdoor spaces, suitable for networking and relaxation. At the Senat Gallery, visitors could explore the exhibition RDW Selection 2021, a collection of some of the best design and architecture projects from the past two years locally, curated by the RDW creative board. The concept and architecture of the exhibition were jointly developed by Attila Kim Architects.
UNA Galeria hosted Stradal, an exhibition dedicated to graphic design, presented by Local Design Circle. The exhibition was a cultural project co-financed by the Administration of the National Cultural Fund.
At the IOMO Gallery, visitors could enjoy two exhibitions: Rethinking Plastic, a collection of innovative and sustainable objects, developed and made from recycled plastic, presented by ASAP România, and We Are In This Together, which included the works of ten artists who were inspired in their work by the concern for health and the activity carried out by the Regina Maria Health Network.
The IQOS World - Network of Emotions installation introduced the public to a multisensory experience based on sound and light. This project investigated the depth of relationships between people and was signed by the artist Adrian Damian.
The audience could relax at the A STATE OF THE ART BUILDING corner, presented by Art Property Development and receive an energy boost at the installation Recharge Life Station by ŠKODA România. The Room21 concept store presented a carefully curated selection of Romanian products, suitable for all those who wanted to enjoy a shopping session.
The RDW Open Air format, whose architectural concept was realized by the Zeppelin Design team, included dubLU by UniCredit, a puck fun game, ALTfel by Absolut, a collection of urban furniture, perfect for alternative conversations, three bicycle racks signed by Urban Monkey, useful for those who chose to come to the festival on two wheels, and a bar that made the atmosphere pleasant.
Aviatorilor Boulevard no. 8A became this year the RDW Design House, an important meeting point of the Bucharest creative community. The location accommodated four international contemporary design exhibitions, curated under the Design Flags format, as well as a Room21 concept store.
The Shaping Design. Together. exhibition was also part of the #rdw2021 program, which continued until June 27th at the National Art Museum of Romania. It presented the creative trajectory of five of the most prolific product design studios in Romania - Agnes Lukacs, Dare to Rug, Radu Abraham, Dragoș Motica (AȘKIA R&D) and Stardust Architects, investigating their contribution in shaping the local contemporary design scene. The project was co-financed by the National Cultural Fund Administration (AFCN). The exhibition can also be discovered online, through a virtual tour – here.
The Design GO format counted more than 60 events and satellite spaces, which celebrated together the design, creativity and resilience of local businesses in a period marked by challenge.
A project by: The Institute
Presented by: UniCredit Bank
Co-producers: Bucharest City Hall, Expo Arte Cultural Center
With the support of: ARCUB - Cultural Center of the City of Bucharest
Partners: Art Property Development, Regina Maria, ASAP, Absolut, Urban Monkey, IQOS
Automotive partner: SKODA
Supported by: Illy, Jidvei, Savana, Bilka, GRID
Cultural partners: Union of Visual Artists, Combinatul Fondului Platic, National Art Museum of Romania
Strategic media partners: Rock FM, Radio Romania Cultural, Euromedia, B365.ro
Media partners: Arhitext.com, Designist.ro, Feeder.ro, Glamour, Igloo, Inspirationist, IQads, Modernism, Molecule-F, Munteanu, ARTA Magazine, Atelier Magazine, V Fair, Zeppelin, Zile și Nopți, WorldArchitectureCommunity
Creative team: Radu Manelici + Sebastian Pren
Digital Partners: Into VR
Monitoring partner: MediaTRUST