XVIII Tallinn Design Festival „DESIGN 4.0. AI: Industrial (un)employment?”

The 18th Tallinn Design Festival will take place from 18 to 24 September 2023 in the premises of the Krull plant. The choice of location is based on the festival‘s concept of furnishing abandoned and scarcely visited architectural sites and industrial buildings, enlivening them with design and culture. The aim of the festival is to improve design awareness; to introduce new design from Estonia and abroad; to raise current design issues; to launch discussions with internationally renowned design experts and to create networking opportunities for designers.

In a time of crisis in society, culture and the economy, themes at the centre of this year’s festival are related to technological developments, industry and the possible threat that creatives face from the quick rise of artificial intelligence. Under the slogan “DESIGN 4.0. AI: Industrial (un)employment?” the pros and cons of the rapid development and deployment of AI will be discussed. Society is expected to gradually embrace the changes, which will also be reflected in the economy and in everyday life. What position will designers be left in, and what will their reception of the new era be?

The term “Industry 4.0” was introduced in Davos in 2011. At the heart of the fourth industrial revolution are the ‘smart factories’, where ideally less than 10% of production processes require human intervention to operate; these smart factories combine analytics, big data and cognitive and predictive methods to be fully automatic. Despite the fact that automation is possible in many areas, human oversight of the entire process must remain in place.

Industry 4.0 is advanced use of the internet, where systems which are communicate with each other make decisions based on data, enabling the application of artificial intelligence and the management of high-tech robotics. The terms Big Data, Internet of Things (IOT), Blockchain and Metaverse have become increasingly important. ChatGPT is omnipresent, NFTs are gaining popularity in the fine arts world and as collectible investments. 3D printing has become increasingly accessible, and the field of gene editing is also promising.

Why should Industry 4.0 matter to designers? Does everyone even know what the aforementioned terms mean? Do new times call for innovative designers? What is Design 4.0? Can designers compete with artificial intelligence? Are designers at risk of unemployment? Can digital culture also help reduce our environmental footprint?

These and many other questions will be answered at the international conference “DESIGN 4.0. AI: Industrial (un)employment?”. The conference is organised in partnership with Arts Thread (UK); the Italian Embassy and the University of Tartu. One of the keynote speakers is Darren Yeo from Singapore; an expert in design, behavioural science, technology and innovation culture. Clothing designer Xenia Joost will also talk about her experience of NFTs and Metaverse-culture in the fashion landscape. A number of product designers have also been invited to present, describing the changes that the application of new technologies has brought to product development. What has the experimentation process become today; can flawless artificial intelligence replace humanity in creation?

The festival programme is put together on the experience and traditions of previous years. There will be design talks, including PechaKucha Night; an opening event of the festival; the clothing design performance D_O_M.; several exhibitions; and a Children’s Corner Minitics created from recycled materials. The programme will include a variety of workshops to showcase new technologies; an outdoor area; light installations; etc. The children’s programme will feature robotics experts and engaging events.

Design Street is planned for the weekend, where self-generating designers will be able to showcase their latest creations. Design studios, galleries and museums across the city will open their doors as part of the satellite events.

Most of the events are free for all. Last year’s festival attracted over 10 000 visitors, including 15% from abroad.

EXHIBITIONS:

Main exhibition. Created in Italy – an exhibition of Italian industrial design in collaboration with the Italian Embassy (overview and exhibition design in annex);
Design Graduate show by ArtsThread (UK) in cooperation with Gucci (global design graduate show of product and industrial design graduates);
Estonian Design Schools (graduation) exhibition (EAA, Pallas, UT Haapsalu, Viljandi);
Haapsalu Graphic Design Festival poster exhibition HOPEFUL (curated by Marko Kekishev);
Substance – Material II – Biodesign exhibition in cooperation with EAA – DiMa and University of Tartu (Curators Kärt Ojavee, Annika Kaldoja, Marie Vihmar) – exhibition will also be exhibited in Mexico and Venice;
Exhibition of Estonian furniture, lighting and interior design products;
TSOON – display of light installations in the former guard booth;
EAA exhibition of experimental forms ‘Pillow’s brink’.

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