Mid-May saw Belgrade turned design capital, with Belgrade Design Week’s “change2” conference-event, which was actually more like a creative rock’n’roll show next to the more “serious” conferences most of us are used to. The event managed to gather some of the most prominent contemporary makers and thinkers in design; outside the lectures, however, everyone talked and partied passionately together. Among the glitterati were Rem Koolhaas, Patricia Urquiola, Matali Crasset, Winka Dubbeldam, Renny Ramakers (Droog Design), Robert Thiemann, (Frame) and many others, all of whom talked about branding, architecture and design.

The entire spectacle was organized in the amazing former Palace of Federation, where everyone dug into delicious lunches using the very cutlery Tito and his crew used decades ago – and all of them embossed with the SFRJ coat-or-arms. Alongside the main programme were any number of satellite events unfolding in different locations around the city: exhibitions, book launches, gallery openings, and parties – the Belgrade Design Party.

Author: Lidija Dragišič
Photo: Vladan Srdić