Hasta La Ideas

In anticipation of this year’s NYCxDesign / NY Design Week festivities, we caught up with a few of the curators of the major satellite exhibitions that take place from May 15–20. Although they are referring specifically to their 2014 event(s), their insights apply to past, present and future exhibitions.

This article was originally published in the C77 Design Daily, Vol. 1, Issue 1, on Friday, May 16.

By Anne Quito

“Good coffee makes the difference,” says Odile Hainaut, one half of the curatorial team behind WantedDesign. “Last year, a visitor stayed for half a day at our exhibit because the coffee was good. These details matter. Our goal is to create an enjoyable experience where people can relax and take their time.”

With over 9,000 visitors last year, WantedDesign is one of the most popular destinations during NYCxDesign, and Hainaut and her co-founder, Claire Pijoulat, are not rushing anyone out the door. The phones were ringing off the hook during my interview with them last April, but the gracious curators didn’t seem to be in a hurry.

“The curation of WantedDesign involves three components,” Pijoulat says. “One-third is the design showcase. Another is the interaction with the students and the general public. And the third is the community conversation that’s fostered in the space and online.”

WantedDesign, in fact, started with a conversation. In 2010, Pijoulat met Hainaut through a mutual friend, who intuited their kindred sensibilities. Their initial conversation centered on what they felt was missing in New York’s design community—its lack of fervor and connectedness—and their shared passion to augment it.

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