DENFAIR Announces Biggest Ever Activation Program

With DENFAIR, the leading destination for contemporary design in Melbourne this winter, only three weeks away, the biggest-ever activation program has been announced for the event, which will take place from 20th – 22nd June at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Now in its fifth year, DENFAIR will see designers, architects, stylists and design-lovers gather to take in three days of cutting-edge design. The theme for year’s DENFAIR is Life Work, highlighting the rapid integration of our personal and professional lives, and the role of design in this transition.

DENFAIR is co-located with the Australian Institute of Architects (AIA) national conference, with the two industry events sparking a collective conversation and imagination across the Australian design community. Unique collaborations will add another layer of engagement and inspiration to the experience. DENFAIR’s activation program collaborations encompass the wide array of expertise and creativity across the industry. From purpose-built space made entirely from foam for the speaker series to Clean Air, an installation that is the result of a collaboration between Adam Cornish and Junglefy focusing on air quality in the modern workplace, the collaborative endeavours promise to surprise and inspire.

Several exhibitions will be a focal point, including the emerging designers’ Front | Centre program, the Easel Project, featuring eight pieces of original work, and the Good Design Awards. Commercial design will be highlighted with #futurework by Futurespace, and Spacecube will create the ultimate people-watching platform on the first level with the creation of a lounge. Meanwhile, visitors to DENFAIR will be brought together at the communal eating place, designed around a single long table to encourage interaction while sharing a meal.

In addition to the leading Australian and international exhibitors, these and many more diverse components of the activation program promise to make this year’s DENFAIR a deeply inspiring and exciting event. Registration is now open.

The Full DENFAIR Activation Program

Lounge by Spacecube

This first floor level lounge by Spacecube will provide an elevated view across the whole show. Intricate screens by Japanese exhibitors Cut Direction bring the space to life and provide the perfect place to people-watch from above the crowd. Supported by: Spacecube, Godfrey Hirst, King Living.

Speaker Space Curated by Sandra Tan

Designed exclusively for the show by Arthur Koutoulas and Joyce Foam Products, this purpose- built forum will house the industry’s most compelling voices in an intimate, acoustically-engineered space made entirely of foam. This year there’s a topic to pique everyone’s interest. From ambitious workplaces that enhance quality of life, to meditations on the relationship between wellness and space, and musings on the culture of design, hear from a diverse cross-section of our design community. Supported by: Major Partner Clipsal by Schneider Electric and Joyce Foam.

Front | Centre

DENFAIR renews its commitment to creating accessible industry pathways for emerging designers with the return of its Front| Centre program. This gallery exhibition showcasing a shortlist of the best new talent from across the country in partnership with Craft ACT, Craft Vic, JamFactory and Workshopped together with the Australian Design Centre. Supported by Spicers, Fab 9, The Design Institute of Australia, Schiavello and DENFAIR.

#futurework by Futurespace

DENFAIR launches a new dedicated workspace precinct this year, showcasing first-time exhibitors with expertise in commercial design. Visitors will discover smart solutions and furniture to support today’s mobile professional, and ideas which bring personality and function to both home and office. Designed by Angela Ferguson and Gavin Harris of Futurespace. Supported by: Futurespace, Kvadrat Maharam, Febrik, Tasman, Godfrey Hirst, Ampelite, Koda.

Palisades by The Designer Institute of New Zealand

Palisades is an immersive textural landscape inhabited by New Zealand designers Nathan Goldsworthy, Think + Shift and Tim Webber; along with supporting works by local designers and Artists. Supported by Autex Industries and The Designers Institute of New Zealand.

Easel Project

Located at the centre of the show, eight compelling creatives present eight original pieces of work. Developed in tandem by industrial designer Adam Cornish and digital craftsperson Marcus Piper, the project involves some of the most exciting names in the local and international creative world – Adam Cornish, Adam Goodrum, Belynda Henry, Ham Darroch, Jaime Hayon, Louise Olsen, Marcus Piper and Rachel Derum – all breaking from their standard modes of practice to meld art with industry. Supported by: Axolotl, Forest Furniture & DENFAIR. 

Oak Redefined Lounge by American Hardwood Export Council

An exploration of an American timber species from multiple perspectives, designer Adam Markowitz, Marcus Piper and the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC) present an evocative breakout space, where visitors can experience the physical and emotional properties of American Red Oak. Supported by: AHEC and Evostyle.

Good Design Awards

Having celebrated 60 years of Good Design in 2018, this year’s installation honours this momentous milestone with a retrospective showcase of award-winning Australian furniture, lighting, homewares and objects at DENFAIR.

Media Space

Phone battery on low from snapping all your favourite stands? Need a spot to organise all those new business cards you’ve collected? The DENFAIR Media Space is where all of DENFAIR’s media partners, including Green Magazine, Artichoke, Design Anthology, The Local Project and Est come together to recharge their devices and catch up on work. Supported by: Koda, Polyflor, How Group, TCW.

Clean Air by Adam Cornish and Junglefy

This installation centres on air quality in the modern workplace; aiming to create a visual experiment that showcases how plants can be used to improve air quality and the atmosphere in our built environments.

Wallpaper* Chalet

Harnessing the theme of Winter, DENFAIR’s principal media partner, Wallpaper*, hosts a Chalet evoking the atmosphere of a snowy alpine lodge. The multilayered design references forms and textures inherent in mountain structures. Supported by: Ross Didier, James Richardson, Kennedy’s Timber, Wood Solutions, Robert Gordon Pottery.

Living Bar by Adam Cornish and Junglefy

Part greenhouse, part speakeasy: debuting at DENFAIR 2019 is a curious installation taking local food sourcing to the next level. Adam Cornish and Junglefy will create a lush living cocktail bar that grows its own ingredients. Supported by: Cult.

Café by PGH Bricks

DENFAIR’s communal eating space is centered on a long table, encouraging people to stop and share a moment over a meal. This space comes to life with a series of brick applications and features materials such as cardboard, timber shavings and greenery. Supported by: Himmel, Godfrey Hirst, How Group.