Sayaka Yamamoto and Boaz Cohen

Tastes differ, and so do the designs. Some say accessible design is good design, while others are ready to sacrifice comfort for appearance.

All agree, however, that contemporary design is a fusion of philosophy and technique, comfort and politics, craftsmanship and religion, science and simplicity.

One of the leading and most famous inventors in the world, Steve Jobs, was quoted as saying that design is not just what it looks and feels like, but also how it works.

One of the most commonly heard complaints is that complexity is one of the great problems in industrial design.

The Design Act festival is an attempt to discuss many of such problems not only with a group of “the chosen few” – established professionals – but also with aspiring designers, amateurs and neophytes.

Moscow has finally caught up with the world’s leading capitals in terms of specialized festivals and exhibitions: while New York and Vienna have Design Week; London and Tokyo – 100% Design; it was Moscow’s turn to create the Design Act, bringing together a number of industrial design gurus at the 4th International Design Festival “Design Act-2010”.

So what’s on the agenda? Design Market features an hands-on exhibition of designs on sale; Design Forum is a kind of discussion club hosting lectures, creative workshops and master-classes from top designers; Design Exhibition featuring the best examples of industrial design (not for sale); and last but not least, Design Party – a chance for a laid-back get together with soulmate-designers.

Big Spender from Studio Tweelink

For three years since its first show, over 70,000 thousand people have visited Design Act (which is the first similar project that Russia has ever seen), which proves that the event is what Russian people and mass media have been waiting for.

Among the highlights this year is an exhibition from BCXSY – a duo of unconventional designers Boaz Cohen (Israel/Netherlands) and Sayaka Yamamoto (Japan).

The designers will show off some of the key objects and concepts they have created in the last three years since their studio was set up, such as the so-called “Noisy Furniture Limited Edition” modular shelving system where endless compositions can be constructed through the connection of aluminum square-profiles and plates with 3M Dual-Lock fasteners; as well as their signature “Distilled Nature” for dead flowers.

Another duo, now from the Dutch twin sisters Tineke and Marieke Willems, “Tweelink” will also present a must-see exhibition at the Design Act festival.

They say they want to make people take a new look at everyday beauty. “We want to achieve this by taking things out of their context or by putting them in a new environment so you will look at them in a different way,” the Willems sisters say.

Many say diamonds are a girl’s best friends. The Dutch designers have a different idea and their “best friend’s” name is Big Spender. It’s a bag that consists of five linked wallets. (Ask any girl and she will tell you that one bag, no matter how big, is never enough).

Yksi Design

“You cannot reinvent the wheel, can you?” they say. Well, even if you mention it to modern designers, it won’t put a spoke in their wheel. They have already proved that there is no such bicycle that couldn’t be recreated. An exhibition entitled “Bicycle Fantasy” features not only bicycles, but also a selection of objects and designs inspired by it or made from it.

Where there’s a will, there’s a way to set the wheels in motion for knock-out design.

Valeria Paikova, RT