Make room for design: Society and sustainability are the watchwords at Tallinn Design Festival

Many visitors to Tallinn won’t go further than the picturesque old town, but the Tallinn Design Festival (Disainiöö) draws visiting design aficionados – and local ones too – out of the city centre to discover both future-facing design and a unique slice of Tallinn history.

Set on a post-industrial site, the Krulli Quarter played host last night (16 September) to opening show ‘TAKE SPACE, MAKE SPACE, BAKE SPACE’, dedicated to the design-led transformation of barren industrial space and leaning into this year’s theme: ‘Make room for design’. 

This week, Krulli will welcome the local design industry’s top event, the Estonian Design Awards Gala; intriguing exhibition ‘Dearest Pinocchio’, which sees Italian designers and graphic designers redesign the world’s most famous puppet; expansive show ‘Rendezvous: Evi Tihemets and Kaupo Kikkas’, presenting over 60 years of Estonian art history via the two artists’ works; as well as a roster of workshops and discussion events.

If fashion is more your area, the DOM sustainable fashion and clothing design show promises to delight with local wearable design, while the rising generation of Estonian and international designers will take centre stage at the Arts Thread Global Design Graduate Show and the Estonian design and architecture schools’ showcase.

Looking for a design-forward souvenir? Pop in to the Design Street Market to pick up a unique piece of clothing, homeware or jewellery.

Though the industrial aesthetics of the Krulli Quarter serve as the festival’s hub, a network of over 25 satellite locations – including museums, galleries and design studios – are hosting tours, talks, masterclasses and other events across the city.

Beyond Tallinn, the festival is making its mark on the idyllic, forest-covered island of Hiiumaa with an innovative recycled art workshop, while visitors are also invited to adventure to the heart of the Lahemaa National Park to experience a light art-focused show in the village of Joaveski.

Tallinn Design Festival runs from 16-22 September 2024. Find out more here.