YourFoRest at DVRZ Design Days
When
1From August 18th to August 27th, in the Panoptikum Collections furniture workshop at Kassone, located in the industrial sector of DVRZ, one of the most exciting events in the world of Ukrainian industrial design took place - DVRZ Design Days, where YourFoRest participated with the conceptual furniture collection "Easy Story." Amidst the backdrop of discussions about the future of Ukrainian design, the sounds of work in the carpentry workshop echoed, and the scent of wood filled the air. This architectural symbiosis is inseparable, as the path from idea to realization passes through carpentry workshops.
Where
The chosen location for the event was unusual yet honest and relevant. One might wonder about the connection between Ukrainian design and the industrial district of Kyiv. The organizers demonstrated the direct connection. Design Days took place in production facilities where discussions about the future of Ukrainian design were held against the backdrop of the sounds of carpentry work, with the scent of wood in the air. This architectural symbiosis highlights that the path from idea to realization passes through carpentry workshops.
Project Goal
"To convey to a wide audience that design is not just objects and forms but a significant part of culture that propels society forward. It is a platform for exchanging thoughts and ideas, where we will reveal the meaning of design as a cultural value that impacts the quality of life, addresses social issues, and shapes a person's worldview."
Project Organizer Larisa Tsybina
Who
The event was organized by the curators of the first Ukrainian Pavilion at the London Design Biennale 2023, led by design researcher and enthusiast Larisa Tsybina. The exhibition's scenography was created by Yuriy Zimenko, a designer, decorator, and head of Design Studio Yuriy Zimenko. Project partners included AGROMAT, Tiger, MANEZH, Rebuild UA Hackathon, and Suspilne Movlennya.
Talented Ukrainian designers who participated in the event included Denis Sokolov, SVOYA Studio, and Dmytro Sivak (Sivak + Partners Bureau), TSEH Architectural Group - Antonina Kaplya, &MO Design Kiryl Tykva, Kateryna Sokolova, Serhiy Hotvianskyi, and Viktoriya Yakusha.
On the side of Ukrainian brands, distinctive and recognizable names such asEasyStory, NOOM, Kint Bureau, Joyf, SVITANOK, Litvinenko Design, DONNA, AMAZE vase, buro150, Varenycia Manufacture, FURN OBJECT, Yalanzhi Objects, llab.design, LOFU, oitoproducts, PANOPTIKUM COLLECTIONS, ReStyle, Gardi, Re: Quiet.
For Whom
The main purpose of the event is to support the creativity of Ukrainian designers and brands during challenging times of conflict. DVRZ Design Days is a Local2Local project, created by Ukrainian manufacturers for the Ukrainian market. It represents true and honest patriotism through an unconventional event format.
The idea is not only to create another closed conversation among designers and manufacturers but to encourage consumers to embrace new Ukrainian products that meet the highest international standards in design and quality. The Ukrainian architectural market has been confidently moving away from imported goods for several years, gaining the favor of international distributors.
The organizers made entry to the event free so that every Ukrainian could find their favorite brand and see the latest trends in the architectural world. DVRZ Design Days sparked interest in Ukrainian design not only among the press but also among a wide Ukrainian audience.
What's in the Program
Seven days filled with architectural highlights of Ukraine passed by at lightning speed. Unfortunately, we cannot list everything that the program encompassed. Therefore, we will highlight only the most interesting aspects in our view:
- The exhibition of the Ukrainian Pavilion at the London Design Biennale, brought to Ukraine. Our country was represented by brands such as FAINA, Nottdesign, and NOOM. Additionally, masters such as the ceramic studio Yuriy Karpenko, weaving masters, and volunteers Nata Baku and Antonina Latayko participated. The theme of this year's Biennale was "Global Game: Reimagining Collaboration."
- The exhibition "Design for Real Time" featured design objects that reflected changes in the methods and principles of Ukrainian design during challenging times. Six artifacts created by Ukrainian designers after the start of the full-scale invasion were showcased. These items grew from the toxic and destructive ground of war, materializing stories of creative collaboration, perseverance, and mutual support. The objects included spent casings from Kyiv's PPO, which were transformed into portable lamps, a mobile field shower, Motanka Kokeshi (a traditional Japanese Kokeshi doll with Ukrainian Motanka doll features), the REAL TIME clock, Military Audio (a portable sound system created from an ammunition crate), and "Pomsta" candleholders (featuring casings from bullets fired on the front lines). Proceeds from the sale of these objects went to charitable initiatives chosen by each designer.
- The exhibition also featured projects from the finalists of the architectural competition "Rebuild Ukraine," focused on the restoration of North Saltivka in Kharkiv. These projects proposed innovative solutions for rebuilding the destroyed residential buildings.
- A panel discussion with the Polish Pavilion from the London Design Biennale, which received an award for its upcycling project involving windows collected throughout Europe and sent to Ukraine during the war.
- A project of visual interaction between the venue and visitors by Anait Danielian.
- Lectures by Katerina Sanina (The Collective Power of Creativity, the Importance of Communities), Anait Danielian (Project of Urban Navigation and Visual Communication between the Venue and Visitors), Oleksiy Iskos (What is Design?), and many others. A roundtable discussion on "Design in Real Time" with an open conversation with Victoria Yakusha about the realities and perception of Ukrainian design in the international community. A panel discussion with AGROMAT on the possibilities of clay, titled "Between Traditions and Innovations: Ukrainian Experience with Clay in Different Contexts: History, Present, Future."
What's Interesting
One of the most fascinating aspects of the event, from our perspective, was the hands-on workshop that allowed participants to get involved. The emphasis of DVRZ Design Days was on the use of secondary materials, sustainable production, and ecological principles of recycling. YourFoRest's team attended a workshop on upcycling led by architect Kristina Badzyan from RePlus Bureau titled "Repairing the Future." This was one of a series of workshops where art objects and household items were created from secondary materials by participants. The zone for creating art objects was curated by architect, artist, and ceramist Lina Fedorenko. In this workshop, five art objects were created and will be donated to the occupied cities. Another part of the workshops, where household objects were created, was curated by Kris Badzyan from the Lviv-based studio Re+Stare. Participants created objects for their personal use, and we happily took our creations home!
Something Unusual
How about a theater performance?Unexpected, right? It was for us too! But a theatrical performance awaited us during one of the days of the Ukrainian Industrial Design Week. Participants didn't just watch the play; they deeply immersed themselves in its essence, as some were even involved in the rehearsal of a real drama theater performance! The theme of the play was the story of the war-torn Mariupol, which moved everyone present, and YourFoRest's team couldn't hold back tears. This story is about constant dialogue, without which the future of Ukrainian society and Ukrainian design, in particular, would be impossible.
YourFoRest
YourFoRest participated in the event with a capsule conceptual collection called EasyStory. Visitors could not only admire and touch our furniture but also assemble it themselves to see how easy it is!
Regarding Charity
Of course, the project organizers did not overlook the charitable aspect of the event. This year, DVRZ Design Days supported the initiative of the NGO "Association of Responsible Citizens" (Kryvyi Rih) and raised funds for the reconstruction of a building for the Center for the Rehabilitation of military personnel and civilians affected by the war, called "Gart." YourFoRest gladly supported this wonderful charitable story.
We look forward to DVRZ Design Days next year!
