Passionswege 2011

In order to illustrate in October the extraordinary extent to which design has become embedded in the city, the VIENNA DESIGN WEEK is starting already in spring by launching the cooperation of nine designers and designer teams from the home and international scene with local Viennese producers and businesses – the Passionswege. They involve the use of workshops, experimentation in situ, and interventions in local businesses and shops. Meanwhile, the partnerships are completely free of the pressure to generate commercially viable products (although we don’t exclude this as an option). What matters far more is the exchange, the passing on of expertise, the preservation and further development of knowledge and virtuosity in craftsmanship and manufacture. This gives designers the unique opportunity of working together with exquisite, mostly highly specialised and traditional handicraft operations, for the firms a welcome departure from business as usual and a new impetus. The results of the projects are each presented in an installation in the business locations. Festival visitors can then explore them enthusiastically as part of the Passionswege – because, as the name implies, this Viennese design path abounds in impassioned zeal – for design, for handicraft, for unexpected discoveries.

The installations are all on show from 30 September to 9 October 2011 during the relevant opening hours. Moreover, three evenings include a cocktail in the business locations in the presence of the designers.

The Passionswege are supported by the Vienna Chamber of Commerce.