ddp design fair

A young designer has ideas for product design while a maker has manufacturing skills. What kind of synergy can we expect from combining the two? We were able to see products created by designers and makers in person at the DDP Design Fair, which marked its third anniversary last year. Designers who were seeking manufacturing support were paired one on one with makers who were looking for design ideas to create innovative products that have never existed before, and the Seoul Metropolitan Government provided support for mass production and marketing.

Last year’s fair, which was held at the DDP Art Hall 1, featured 106 teams of makers and designers along with small and medium-sized design studios and companies leading the design trends. During the last exhibition, which was held with the theme of “Wonderful Life: The beauty in everyday life makes our lives much happier”, visitors were greeted by a total of three pavilions, including the Collaboration Pavilion that showcased products created based on the collaboration between designers and makers; the Launching Pavilion that featured products of small and medium-sized design studios; and the Trend Pavilion where visitors can get a glimpse of Design Thinking of companies leading the design trends.

The Possibilities of Design Demonstrated by Designers and Makers

Since it held its first in-person exhibition in two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, participants and visitors were filled with excitement. What especially captured our attention at the scene was the content with the themes of single-person household, companion animal, home office and eco-friendly products. 64 small and medium-sized design studios participated in the Launching Pavilion, which featured products that bring simple pleasures to modern people who spend most of their time at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic and live an independent lifestyle. What also caught the eye were new products that support a wide variety of hobbies, such as home dining, cooking, pet caring, gardening and outdoor activities. The Trend Pavilion with the concept of “Meet Our Future of Design” provided visitors the opportunity to experience products of companies, allowing them to experience the design value of each company in person.

The main focus of the DDP Design Fair was the Collaboration Pavilion, which showcased the results of the five-month collaboration of 106 teams of makers and designers who demonstrated the possibilities of design. Along with the result of collaboration between designers and companies specializing in materials such as concrete, paper, and plastic, there were also a variety of products reflecting our changed lifestyle, such as The Butterfly (Studio Plastic x Jh Studio), a one-person chair made based on 3D technology; Workshop Stool (Studio PESI x PAPER POP), corrugated cardboard furniture that can reduce waste; and Light Now No. 1 (Makemake x Hwangduck Engineering) for those who work at their home office, showing off their unique personality to the visitors.