As autumn sets in, cities around the globe turn their attention to art, architecture, and design with a wealth of exciting events worth traveling for
By Laura Itzkowitz, Architectural Digest
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Mexico City, Mexico.
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Currently reigning as the 2018 World Design Capital, Mexico City will host Design Week Mexico before passing on the torch to the next World Design Capital. New York City will become a veritable playground for architecture lovers, as Archtober overlaps with Open House New York. The tiny Texan town of Marfa—renowned for its modern and contemporary art scene—will swell in size as visitors flock there for the Chinati Foundation’s annual Open House. Farther afield, Bangkok will host the inaugural Bangkok Art Bienniale and Eindhoven will welcome back the annual Dutch Design Festival.
New York City
October is a major month for architecture in New York, with Archtober (October 1–31) and Open House New York (October 12–14) taking place simultaneously. The former bills itself as a “monthlong celebration of architecture and design” and is organized by the Center for Architecture along with more than 60 partners. Highlights include National Design Week by the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum; the Architecture and Design Film Festival; and the Municipal Art Society’s MAS Summit. Open House New York will open hundreds of sites for exclusive access, tours, and parties. If you’re visiting from out of town, consider staying at Mr. C Seaport, a new member of Leading Hotels of the World designed by Thomas Juul Hansen, or the hip new Hoxton Williamsburg. Book a table at Simon & the Whale or one of New York’s other chicest new restaurants.
Marfa, Texas
An unlikely nexus for contemporary art and design in the remote Chihuahuan desert of far west Texas, Marfa has an almost mythic status among art lovers. Make the trek to see what it’s all about as the Chinati Foundation—established by Donald Judd in 1978—hosts its annual Open House weekend October 5–7. A series of events both on and off the foundation’s grounds includes open studios, gallery exhibitions, and performances. Check into the sleek Hotel Saint George, whose bar and restaurant are popular among locals and visiting artists. Keep an eye out for the mysterious Marfa Lights and immerse yourself in the town’s quirky culture at Planet Marfa (where you can drink beer and eat nachos inside a teepee) and Ballroom Marfa.
Bangkok
The inaugural Bangkok Art Bienniale will kick off on October 19 with events spread out along the famous sites lining the Chao Praya River, including Wat Arun, Wat Pho, the Bangkok Art and Cultural Center, and Suan Lumpini Park. As part of the Biennial, the Marina Abramovìc Institute will put on a new long-duration performance for three weeks in mid-October. Check in to 137 Pillars Suites, a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World that opened last year with the highest infinity pool in Bangkok, or the gorgeous Siam Hotel designed by Bill Bensley, who filled the boutique hotel with Thai antiques and Art Deco touches.
Eindhoven, Netherlands
You’ve probably been to Amsterdam, but what about Eindhoven? The midsize Dutch city—home to the renowned Design Academy Eindhoven—becomes a major design destination every October, when Dutch Design Week takes over. Across hundreds of locations around the city, DDW will present work by more than 2,500 designers over the course of the week of October 20–28. It’s also home to a burgeoning design scene populated by graduates of the Academy who have remained and set up studios. You can always combine it with a visit to Amsterdam, which is less than two hours away.
Mexico City
Mexico’s dynamic capital draws aesthetes and architecture fans all year long, but this October is an especially exciting time to go, as Mexico City is celebrating its status as 2018 World Design Capital. Taking place October 10–14, Design Week Mexico will catalyze the city’s architects and designers around a series of events at cultural institutions like the Tamayo Museum, the National Museum of Anthropology, and Lincoln Park. The events will culminate in the symbolic passing of the torch to the new World Design Capital: Lille, France. If you go, book a room at the intimate Las Alcobas, a Luxury Collection Hotel in the posh Polanco neighborhood designed by Yabu Pushelberg, and reserve a table at Pujol, which moved to a new location with a brighter, airier design last year.
