Pioneer Square Festival Hopes to Inspire New Designers
Experience the hands-on, seventh annual Seattle Design Festival this month.
By Nia Martin September 8, 2017
This article originally appeared in the September 2017 issue of Seattle magazine.
For two weeks this month, exhibits and discussions around town will focus the city’s attention on design as the seventh annual Seattle Design Festival gets underway. Coordinated by Design in Public—a strategic initiative of The American Institute of Architects Seattle—the festival showcases several genres of design (anything from architecture to software) under the theme “Power.” A Block Party from September 9–10 in Occidental Square kicks off festivities with interactive installations from the minds of Seattle designers, community groups and contractors.
The days that follow are filled with exhibits and discussions, including design aficionado George Zatloka’s Braille-inspired installation “Power Duo=Communication+Imagination,” Microsoft-led talks on diversity and inclusion, and the ethical dilemmas surrounding artificial intelligence.
Not a designer? That’s the point. The festival hopes to connect Seattleites with the design community as the city continues to grow into a more design-savvy hub.
9/9–9/22. Times vary. Free (some events require RSVP) throughout Seattle.
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