Above: Stylecraft are notorious for their hospitality, and Melbourne Indesign 2014 was no exception

My favourite thing about Indesign: The Event is that it’s about more than design. Whilst design is the event’s raison d’être, and dominates our attention over the course of three days, Indesign: The Event, (this year hosted in Sydney) gives brands, industry members and passionate members of the public the chance to explore how design interacts with a whole range of other areas, from food, to art, to perhaps even a little bit of cheeky industry gossip…

A tactile treat at Cafe Culture + Insitu

The first of these is particularly near to my heart (and my penchant for rich delicacies could prompt a whole ream of cholesterol-related puns here), and so I am always intrigued by how food, and the odd drop of wine, marries so well with an event about design.

Phillip Stokes glass-blowing demonstration will forever be associated with the smell of a furnace, and waves of heat coming off molten glass. 

The connection is a real one—from pairing foreign products with the specialties of their homeland to applying the values of authenticity, quality and sustainability in how exhibitors cater their spaces, the visuals and flavours of Sydney Indesign’s gastronomy not only nourish and delight, but add a compelling new layer of meaning to our appreciation of the brands we experience.

Smeg’s food offering was, unsurprisingly, excellent. In this case, the link to product is also pretty straightforward. 

Seen more broadly, food is one of many invaluable sensory touch points at Sydney Indesign, which elevate our experience beyond what we might find on the screens of design blogs or even in the pages of a magazine. These smells, flavours, tactile sensations and sounds contribute to an immersive, engaging connection with design that is simply much more satisfying, and create powerful lasting impressions.

Weylandts’ florists presentation echoed the brand’s focus on natural materials and uncomplicated luxury. 

Even thinking back to Melbourne Indesign last year, some of my own most compelling memories are triggered by specific sensations—recalling the paella, jamon and manchego at Ajar’s showroom evokes the beautifully made artisanal Spanish furniture the brand specialises in, the feel of Café Culture + Insitu’s forest of yellow ribbons brushing over my head reminds me of the two brands’ journey of merging into one, and the heat, sweat and thumping dance music at Space Furniture’s dance bunker conjures images of how comfortable the Vitra sofas were to relax in afterwards!

Space’s hot, sweaty dance bunker. 

So, just as the sweet softness of Proust’s madeleine cake elicits his aunt’s affection, the rich, intense sensations experienced over the course of Sydney Indesign will form a new set of visceral memories and nourish your passion for design.

Sydney Indesign 2015
sydneyindesign.com.au