The streets of the CBD and South Melbourne moved with a different kind of rhythm on September 6. Architects, designers and creatives spilled from trams, cars and laneways, weaving through a precinct transformed into a living stage for design. There was a palpable energy in the air – curiosity, conversation and the joy of discovery. This was Saturday Indesign at its best: where the city itself becomes the backdrop for inspiration and where every showroom opened its doors not just to display products, but to invite participation, dialogue and community.

From the moment the first runners laced their shoes at Cosentino’s Move With Her Run at 9.30am, the CBD set the tone for a day of wellness, creativity and innovation. By the time the morning sun settled over South Melbourne, the precinct had become a hive of activity. Each stop offered a different lens on design, whether through material experimentation, lifestyle integration, or immersive hospitality experiences.

Cosentino led the charge with a program that spoke to design as a way of living. After the energising run, a Fitness and Stretching Workshop with Technogym kept the pace high, while the aroma of fresh, wholesome cooking drifted from their Thermomix Demo at 11am. Visitors moved seamlessly between the tactile brilliance of Cosentino’s surfaces and the thoughtfully curated events, where health and design intersected.

The highlight came with Cristalo Resonance, the standout Project installation from Cosentino in collaboration with fabricator Pazzi Marble & Granite and Kelly Donougher (13 Interiors) that captured the imagination of attendees all day long. Later in the afternoon, the Wellness Design Talk drew a thoughtful crowd eager to engage in dialogue about how spaces can actively contribute to wellbeing, a theme that resonated across the entire precinct.

A short stroll away, Schiavello’s showroom had been transformed into a living garden, where hospitality and design intermingled with effortless style. Their Garden Party: Morning Jumpstart set the mood with coffee and conversation, followed by Afternoon Vibes and Sunset Sips, which saw the space buzzing well into the evening.

Beyond the hospitality, Schiavello unveiled their New Innovations product launch that drew professionals deep into discussions about craft, flexibility and the spaces of the future. Guided showroom tours offered intimate insights into the brand’s philosophy, while the greenery and convivial atmosphere reinforced the idea that design flourishes best in community.

At Gaggenau, design was elevated to performance. Across three timed presentations, The Icons of Gaggenau introduced products with the drama and reverence of a gallery unveiling. Attendees gathered in anticipation at 10.30am, 1pm and 3pm, each time greeted by sleek installations and passionate storytelling that reflected the brand’s legacy of precision and luxury. The result was more than a product launch, it was a meditation on design excellence that left audiences inspired and informed.

What tied the precinct together was the way each showroom tapped into broader design themes. Wellness, hospitality, sustainability and material innovation were not isolated topics, but overlapping conversations that moved fluidly from one space to the next. The CBD & South Melbourne precinct became a microcosm of the design world’s current obsessions and future directions, offering attendees not only new products to specify but also fresh ideas to take back to their studios.

As the sun dipped behind the city skyline and the final glasses were raised at Schiavello’s Sunset Sips, the precinct felt less like a collection of showrooms and more like a community of voices in dialogue. Saturday Indesign 2025 reminded us that design is at its most powerful when it is shared, in the form of ideas, experiences and connections.

For those who wandered the CBD & South Melbourne precinct, the day was unmissable: a celebration of creativity that left an imprint far beyond the showroom walls.