San Francisco Design Week

Mike & Maaike - Open Studio
2023-06-08 17:00 - 21:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
Mike & Maaike – New Works
Mike & Maaike will exhibit two new works which combine design, art, and advocacy.
Juxtaposed: Religion – The Complete Edition. 2023
The Envelopes. 2023
Light refreshments will be served.
5-9pm
7pm artist talk

TOOOT - Open Studio
2023-06-08 17:00 - 21:00
The Office of Ordinary Things (TOOOT) is a design and branding studio focused on climate, sustainability, and social good. Please join us at a social hour where we hope to cultivate a welcoming, vibrant, and engaged design community! Office and restroom are wheelchair accessible. Cocktails, mocktails, and snacks will be provided.

level - Open Studio
2023-06-08 17:00 - 20:00
Slide over to the Mission and celebrate SF Design Week with us at level. We invite you to come talk industrial design–and anything else–with us!
The doors are open to all, enjoy a memorable night at our studio with bites, booze, good music and great conversation.

Hybrid Design + Super7 - Open Studio
2023-06-08 17:00 - 20:00
Join Hybrid Design and our sister company, Super7 for an open studio in the Mission District. Our studio is an explosion of pop culture inspiration with enormous collections of vintage toys, skateboards and prints. The Hybrid and Super7 teams will be onsite to offer casual tours of the space and show some of the projects we are working on.
777 Florida St.
Suite 202
San Francisco, CA
94110
*Entrance is on 20th St.

Pact Studio - Open Studio
2023-06-08 17:00 - 20:00
Swing by our open studio to share stories about the twists and turns that help shape who we are. Meet others who have had a similar journey or learn about others’ paths that have led to interesting outcomes and unique points of view. We’ll provide refreshments, light snacks and conversation starters. Looking forward to seeing you there!
Pact is a Mission-based partnership of imagination and wits crafting meaningful, unmistakable brands.

Box Clever - Open Studio
2023-06-08 17:00 - 20:00
Join us at Box Clever for an inspiring fireside chat about Shorebird, Box Clever, and Box Garden Ventures – as we share stories around partnership, creative process, and embracing the spirit of a Plot Twist.
Shorebird is a premium outdoor well-being brand focused on delivering thoughtfully designed products that elevate your time outside. Shorebird is also the first company launched from our newly formed Box Garden Ventures.
Learn about how Box Clever is embracing the notion of Plot Twist in how Box Garden Ventures is designing scalable businesses and brands, not just products, in partnership with founders who all share the mission of making a lasting, positive impact for people and our planet.
At the event, you’ll learn about the collaborative product development journey and get to experience the Shorebird Beach Chair before it begins shipping this summer.
Reserve your spot now for this exclusive event.

Noisebridge - Open Studio
2023-06-08 17:00 - 20:00
Noisebridge is a community workshop and hackerspace hosting events and classes. We are a donations-based and volunteers-run non-profit providing access to tools and space to creatives of all stripes.
A tour with a demonstration of some machines to make swag – laser cutter, knitting machine, embroidery machine

Nonfiction & Material ConneXion Open Studio
2023-06-08 17:00 - 20:00
You’re invited to our studio + material library conveniently located in the heart of San Francisco.
Come hear from hosts Phnam and Mardis Bagley (Co-Founders and Creative Directors, Nonfiction) as they share the surprising plot twists that have happened as we’ve designed products and services – and firm – over the past seven years.
Come watch Dr. Andrew Dent (Executive Vice President of Research, Material ConneXion) as he shares the most recent exciting material innovations, their impact on the way that design has evolved, and its future impact on the way we create. Expanding on the ‘Plot Twist’ theme for this year, Material ConneXion is bringing its own take on the unexpected, the curveballs, the surprising turns and sometimes unintended consequences of materials innovation in design.
Then, we’ll have a panel discussion on “How to apply sustainability in your design practice” featuring Mardis Bagley, Dr. Andrew Dent, and special guest Xander Skieller from Lime. They’ll talk about the various ways change makers, design, engineers and scientists can help move the sustainability needle in the right direction.
Want more reasons to stop by? We’ll have experts from Material ConneXion giving tours of our in-house material library, and visitors will get to network with us and like-minded folks excited about the future of everything on our rooftop deck. Light snacks and refreshments will be served.
We can’t wait to show you where and how we’re designing a better, more human future. Hope to see you there!
About the Panelists
Mardis Bagley is a Partner and Creative Director at Nonfiction. He’s a veteran industrial designer, having created products and experiences that change the world for the better. His efforts have garnered numerous patents, awards and hundreds of millions in investment capital. He has taught at the California College of the Arts in Sustainability and Social Impact and speaks internationally on the subject.
Dr. Andrew Dent, EVP of Materials Research at Material ConneXion and Chief Material Scientist at Material Bank, is known for his integrated approach to problem solving. One of the world’s leading authorities on materials in design, Andrew has helped clients from start-ups and Fortune 500 companies take their products and spaces to the next level through innovative material selection and a unique cross-industry perspective.
Xander Skieller is a product development leader who is a passionate advocate and practitioner of sustainable design methods. Experience at large factories in Asia have shaped his belief that our choices as hardware designers have a tremendous impact on people and the planet, and time in sustainable PD consulting have given him the tools to contribute to progress. Xander is currently applying this practice at Lime, where sustainable design contributes to the company’s overall mission to reduce the carbon impact of urban transportation.
And a surprise guest.
About Us
Nonfiction is an award-winning design firm made of industrial designers, architects, engineers, strategists, and storytellers. We create impact-focused physical products and experiences on and off planet Earth for clients like Intel, Anuevo, Halo Neuroscience, Motif Neurotech, and more.
Material ConneXion is the world’s leading material insights company with material library locations worldwide and advisory services that helps companies like Louis Vuitton and Logitech source materials that enhance the performance, aesthetic, and sustainability of their projects. We define the “what’s new and what’s next” in materials, and incubate new ideas so you can make smarter design decisions. We believe every idea has a material solution.

Skona Advertising - Open Studio
2023-06-08 17:00 - 19:00
Join Sköna for drinks, bites, and conversation in our new SoMa office, right behind SFMoMA! Stop by for treats from our Fika bar, chat with our founder and San Francisco team, and learn more about our Scandinavian sensibilities and how we build brave brands for B2B tech.

Peak Design Open Studio
2023-06-08 16:00 - 19:00
Open studio at Peak Design World HQ!Peak Design is a brand that designs and builds carry gear for travelers, photographers and adventurers.
Born and bred right here in SF’s Dogpatch neighborhood, they’ve garnered a reputation for releasing uncompromising, function-first products with design details and features that border on magic.
Entirely crowdfunded and independent, Peak Design has built a community in SF and around the world with an off-beat, behind-the-curtain approach to design and marketing.
Kick the tires of their hardgoods and softgoods design studios, have some drinks with the design team, see some wacky prototypes; and if you ask nicely, maybe even get a sneak peek of some upcoming projects!
Also, they have a not-too-shabby view of the Bay.

Surfacedesign Open Studio
2023-06-08 16:00 - 19:00
Join the Surfacedesign team for a studio tour at our office on the Embarcadero – and then stick around for Happy Hour. Our multi-disciplinary team will present a wide range of landscape projects through the lens of a design process centered on collaboration, the ethos of our practice.

Can Art & Design Save the City?
2023-06-08 16:00 - 19:00
Over the past two decades, San Francisco has seen an exodus of art and design people, places, and resources. Post Covid, it’s even worse. Our public spaces, from downtown districts to retail centers and workplaces are vacant. Can art and design save the day, not only bringing people back, but creating a vibrant cultural future for the fabric of our city?
LMNL Studio x The Archery present a panel discussion, design charette, and cocktail experience featuring local thought leaders, creative luminaries, developers and urban planners to imagine a future for our city built around art and culture. From Downtown LA to The High Line Park, cities have reinvigorated their public places by using art and design as strategic drivers for community and commerce. Let’s shape a plan to ensure that happens here, too.

The Art of Kitchen Design: A Celebration of Creativity, Innovation, and Lifestyle
2023-06-08 16:00 - 18:30
Overview: Join us for an immersive experience into the world of kitchen design and lifestyle. Our event, “The Art of Kitchen Design,” is a celebration of creativity, innovation, and lifestyle. From the latest design concepts to cutting-edge technology, we will showcase how kitchen design can be elevated to an art form. Our event will also explore the cultural significance of kitchens and how they shape our lives, bringing people together and creating memorable moments. We believe in providing a holistic approach to kitchen design, where form and function come together in harmony to create a space that reflects your personal style and way of living.

HGA - Open Studio
2023-06-08 16:00 - 18:00
Join us for an extraordinary chance to immerse yourself in the innovative world of architecture and design!
Our national interdisciplinary design firm is excited to host an open studio event at our HGA office in the heart of San Francisco.
Meet and mingle with our talented team of architects, planners, designers, and engineers as you walk through our space to check out various projects. As passionate advocates for sustainable design, we will also be spotlighting the latest selection of green products that embody our values and reflect our vision for the future of design.

Manifesting A Future In Design
2023-06-08 16:00 - 17:00
What happens when your thoughts become a reality? Manifesting is a tool used daily by designers in their work as they weave client emotions into unique concepts. An inspired idea can become a beautiful space realized from specific intentions.
Alicia Cheung and Eva Bradley, co-founders of Studio Heimat, along with Tyson Lee, creative director and founder of Mister Lee Designs, and Emmi Lim, Vice President of Community and Growth at Schumacher, will discuss how they reimagined their career paths, fought new challenges, and achieved new goals. The conversation will be moderated by Angela Tafoya, brand editorial director of Domino.
Thursday, June 8, 4:00 – 5:00 pm. The panel will begin promptly at 4:15 pm. Space is limited, please RSVP.
Light bites and drinks will be served.

Creativity Explored - Open Studio
2023-06-08 15:00 - 20:00
Creativity Explored (1983–2023) is a studio-based collective in San Francisco that partners with people with developmental disabilities to celebrate and nurture the creative potential in all of us. Founded in 1983 by a psychologist and an artist, CE has facilitated the careers of hundreds of neurodiverse artists and serves as a model in the field of art and disability worldwide.
Creativity Explored now serves 130 artists with developmental disabilities offering art supplies, training, exhibition and sales opportunities in traditional and digital media. CE artists have seen their work exhibited in museums, galleries, and art fairs in over 14 countries and have earned over $2.2 million from their art. Our life-changing programs continue to open doors of inclusion to center the personhood and creative vision of people with developmental disabilities. Most importantly, Creativity Explored is a source of community, empowerment and dignity.
Voted Best Gallery 2021 & Best Nonprofit 2022 – SF Bay Guardian’s Best of the Bay Awards

Changemakers, with Maria Giudice
2023-06-08 15:00 - 17:00
CCA’s Design Division presents a talk & book signing by Maria Giudice
Becoming a Changemaker by Leading with Design
Design leaders have evolved from being responsible for executing design concepts to having a crucial role in driving change across organizations. This is welcome progress, but with greater responsibility comes new challenges, especially when it comes to championing change in organizations likely to resist it.
As design-driven changemakers have risen in the ranks of business, they’ve “learned on the job,” experiencing both setbacks and victories. We captured many of these learnings by interviewing over 40 design leaders and incorporating their shared wisdom in our book, Changemakers: How Leaders Can Design Change in an Insanely Complex World. Whether these leaders worked at IBM and Google, a US government agency, or a small consulting firm, their insights and observations are applicable to all and well-worth considering.
This presentation will offer an overview of what we learned. It will cover Top 5 mistakes changemakers make as they navigate the messy processes and people issues involved in driving any type of change. You’ll learn how to determine the ground conditions needed for success, how to find and align supporters, how to minimize detractors, and how to repurpose design tools, frameworks, and techniques to your advantage.
Bio:
For three decades, creative teams and business leaders have sought the provocative vision and mentorship of Maria Giudice. After founding the pioneering experience design firm Hot Studio and leading global teams at Facebook and Autodesk, Maria’s mission today is to build the next generation of creative leaders. Through one-on-one coaching, group coaching, and team-building workshops, Maria unlocks the potential hidden in executives and the people they lead. A popular speaker at design and business conferences, Maria is also the author of four design books, including Rise of the DEO: Leadership by Design, and most recently Changemakers: How Leaders Can Design Change in an Insanely Complex World.

Illustrating the picture book
2023-06-08 10:00 - 11:00 | https://sfdesignweek.embold.net/event/illustrating-the-picture-book/
Illustrating a picture book from script to final pages – with focus on character design, composition and page design — presentation followed by Live Q and A.

Us vs. Them
2023-06-07 20:00 - 23:00
Join PA San Francisco (formerly Astro Studios) at SF Design Week for a thought-provoking event that explores the intersection of AI technology and design. Attendees will experience a competition between human designers and AI tools, and explore a showcase of AI technology and interactive events that demonstrate the latest trends in design. Refreshments and swag will be provided.
Join us and witness the intersection of technology and design in action.

Adobe: Creating Gen AI Tools with and for Designers
2023-06-07 18:00 - 20:00
Join members of the Adobe Design and Adobe Design Research & Strategy teams for a very special event for a very special event, in conversation with local designers about the design process behind Adobe’s Gen AI tools. Panelists will discuss how they’re currently using AI in their design workflows, touch upon what’s ahead, and talk about how it takes a human touch to make and create the next generation of design tools. We will start with a brief demo, followed by the panel discussion, and wrap with audience Q&A.

Risky Business: Climate Change, Design, and Avoiding Unforeseen Consequences
2023-06-07 18:00 - 20:00
Risky Business: Climate Change, Design, and Avoiding Unforeseen Consequences
Throughout human history, new tools and technologies have simultaneously moved us forward as a society and set us back with unforeseen consequences. Here in the Bay Area, there is a common desire to disrupt, move fast, and break things, but that approach is not valid for the climate crisis.
We as designers must learn to recognize the possible unintended consequences of our work. Join us as we consider the near-term and long-term effects of our work as designers, innovators, and problem solvers at our next Climate Designers Bay Area event — Risky Business: Climate Change, Design, and Avoiding Unforeseen Consequences.
The evening’s conversations will highlight helpful perspectives and practices for considering the potential impact of the work we do as designers as we collectively address the climate emergency.
After the speakers, attendees are invited to participate in a mock “premotem” exercise where they will learn techniques for assessing project risk. This activity is optional, and we’ll also have an opportunity for socialization.
Speakers:
Mike Monteiro
Mike is cofounder and design director of Mule Design, an interactive design studio whose work has been called “delightfully hostile” by The New Yorker. He’s written four books: Design Is a Job, You’re My Favorite Client, Ruined by Design, and The Collected Angers. He’s not as smart as his wife, or as charming as his dog. He’s pretty much given up on tech and is considering a future as a lighthouse keeper or record store owner, or maybe opening a record store in a lighthouse.
Kelly Neuner
Kelly (they/them) is a transdisciplinary designer who is passionate about exploring the intersections of people, systems, and technology. Their background includes work with companies ranging from nonprofits and startups to Fortune 500 companies in healthcare, technology, education, fintech, and retail, both in consulting and in-house at Fast Company. They center their design and futures practice around responsible design and participatory practices. They have completed dedicated training in equity-centered design and research and responsible tech development with organizations including Creative Reaction Lab, HmntyCntrd, and Gray Area. Kelly is currently the Global Chapter & Community Lead for the Design Futures Initiative and is a City Lead for SheFi. Kelly graduated from The New School & Parsons with a focus in Design Management, which combined design, business, marketing, and psychology.
Julia Solano
Julia is a designer, artist, and bamboo architect. She’s Community Architect for The Tech We Want, an initiative focused on supporting a new wave of leaders, companies, and technologies built on inclusivity, mutualism, sustainability, and responsible innovation. She’s spent much of the past decade co-founding and designing in AI companies, building bamboo and earth structures for communing, and exploring the complexity of community by living in experimental cities, artist cooperatives, and cults in efforts to better understand and build social, digital, and physical infrastructure to bridge to more hopeful futures.
Agenda:
6:00: Doors Open & Networking
6:15: Speakers & Q&A
7:30: Social Time & Pre-mortem Exercise
8:00: Event Ends

Design Rocks! Music as Design Inspiration
2023-06-07 17:30 - 20:00
As designers, we’re constantly asked to create, but where does creativity come from? How can we spark new and more innovative ideas? What even IS inspiration? Let’s explore these questions together in an interdisciplinary chat about inspiration through the lens of music.
With the intention to refresh your creative spirit and enliven your imagination, we’re taking it back to the Summer of Love with a deep dive into the iconic music of San Francisco in the late 60s and early 70s. Four industry leaders across a diverse set of disciplines — including architectural, content, brand & graphic design — will each present an original creative work or concept inspired by the music and ethos of this time in history. They’ll also pull back the curtain on their own creative process with insights into how they revise, refine and evolve creative work.
Ready to trip the light fantastic? Join us!
Event Schedule:
5:30-6pm Arrive & Mingle
6-7pm Conversational Panel Discussion
7-7:30pm Live Music (Surprise Musical Guest)
8pm Doors Close
Panelist:
Star Zagofsky – MC/Host, Sr. Content Design Consultant
Josie Jeffries – Sr. Director of Creative at Slack
Marcus Taylor – Sr. Director of Brand Marketing
Megan Murray – Content Design Manager at Reddit
Lesley Ray – Owner/Interior Architectural Designer, Lesley Ray Design

Jam Session by frog Design: Co-Creating a Code of Ethics in AI & Other Rising Technologies
2023-06-07 17:30 - 19:30
During this 90-minute session, we want to bring creatives, technologists and forward-thinkers together to co-create a code of ethics around the increasingly ubiquitous, and intelligent technologies that are making their way into our day to day worlds.
At this pivotal moment, the rise of ChatGPT and other AI-powered products and services have illuminated countless questions about how, when, and why we should use these rising technologies. We are at a critical inflection point in design and technology—What are the ethical codes that will foster our relationship with AI technology? Who gets to write them? What’s at stake here in this plot twist with humans and technology?
As designers and creatives, we are increasingly at the forefront of making decisions about technology use in the products and services that we help create. For this event, we will identify tactical actions that we can take and craft principles that can help us establish a north star for designing with rising tech.
This event is brought to you by frog’s Service Design team, and will take a service-centered approach to this co-creation session. We are excited to share more about our team, methodologies as we co-create with all of you.

Radical Care: Design x Health Skyside Panel with Blumline
2023-06-07 17:30 - 19:30
A cultural shift is underway and it’s shaking up healthcare. Join Blumline for a skyside panel conversation on health, agency, access, and designing with and for this unique space. We’ll discuss emerging behaviors, needs, and the challenges, experiments, and lessons our panelists have uncovered in practicing health-centered design. Come early for aperitivo, a beautiful and unique music box performance to soothe your nervous system, and an opportunity to meet new design friends in the community.
5:30-6pm: Aperitivo + Music Box Performance
6-7pm: Panel Discussion and Q+A
PANELISTS:
Polina Segalova, Head of Product, Teal Health
Greg McNamara, Industrial Design Lead, Blumline
Tejas Indamar, Strategic Partnerships, Turquoise Health
Timothy Lynch of Atha Room, a Mysore yoga practice space
Moderator: Natasha Margot Blum, Principal Director, Blumline
Special guests and additional panelists to be announced. Stay tuned on the socials.
MUSIC BOX PERFORMANCE:
Sidney Chen, a vocalist and performance artist, inspired to learn during the pandemic lockdown.
SPONSORS:
We are serving fresh herbal twists on happy hour, sponsored by Ghia, Aplos, LMNT, and Liquid Death.
Our venue sponsor, Canopy SF, is hosting our event in their beautiful 4th floor space.

Enlisted Design Open Studio
2023-06-07 17:00 - 21:00
Enlisted welcomes all design enthusiasts to join our open studio for a Next Level experience featuring interactive workshops, live design demos and product showcases. From 7-7:45pm, we are proud to feature renowned designer, thinker & author, Donald Burlock, Jr. as a keynote speaker for a discussion about his book: Super Human by Design: Keys to Unlocking Your Creativity for Life-Changing Results. The first 30 registrants will receive a free, signed copy of his book. Additionally, we will be serving up food & drinks from our Uptown Oakland community, plus soulful beats from our own vinyl DJ Kuroko!
Event Speakers:
7-7:45pm: Keynote Speaker, Designer & author, Donald Burlock Jr. will discuss his book, Super Human by Design: Keys to Unlocking Your Creativity for Life-Changing Results

FYRN - Open Studio
2023-06-07 17:00 - 20:00
Stop by Fyrn to see our pieces in-person + have a tour through our original manufacturing facility. We’ll have drinks, bites and music for mingling and chatting. Look forward to hosting you!

Elixir Design - Open Studio
2023-06-07 17:00 - 20:00
Elixir Open House
Come celebrate 30 years with us! Our studio will be fully transformed into a wonder cabinet of projects, designs, colors, knick- knacks and unique commodities we have inherited through the years. We intend to make this an interactive experience– so come ready to explore and even partake in some hands-on activities!
We will have a DJ and beverages.
Elixir Team will be onsite.

Revolution Road: Designing a Driverless Future
2023-06-07 16:30 - 18:30
When the first automobile took to the streets, no one could have predicted a day in which the driver would be optional. That time is now. Our team is designing the new era of transportation on our city streets, and we would love to talk to our fellow designers about it.
Come meet the team at Cruise that is designing the cutting edge of autonomous vehicles and join us for casual drinks and conversation this SF Design Week. We can’t wait to meet you! 21+ ”

Aruliden - Open Studio
2023-06-07 16:00 - 20:00
Aruliden welcomes the entire Bay Area to join us at our house warming party to celebrate our new expanded studio with Material+ in Oakland, California. To jumpstart the event, the team will do introductions and speak towards the history and vision of the studio. (4PM-4:30PM). Our space will be set up to display some of our most recent and relevant work, spanning across different categories of tech, beauty, branding and graphic design. This means, showing off our process through physical/digital prototypes and having a segment of the night dedicated to live demos and hands-on time with our work (5PM-7PM).
We’ll be serving food, drinks with the addition of ‘The Burrito Truck’ being parked right outside of our open garage doors. Libations will include beer from a local brewery and assorted wines (one of which is our very own ‘Cloudy Bay’).

Guacamole Airplane Open Studio
2023-06-07 16:00 - 19:00
We invite you to visit the sustainable packaging design studio of Guacamole Airplane.
Local Plastic from Bend Oregon will be on hand exhibiting recent developments with their recycled plastic sheet press, used to create furniture and home goods.
Located at our studio in Sausalito on Gate 5 Road, you will have the opportunity to explore Guacamole Airplane’s space, see our prototyping equipment, learn about our design process, and explore our material library showcasing the future of material innovation in packaging design. Our team will be on hand to share our work with you, answer any questions you may have, and provide insights into our design philosophy and approach.
