IDS Vancouver 2024: Design Trends, Exhibitors and Events You Can’t Miss

Every September, IDS Vancouver arrives as a gravitational centre for design lovers: it’s four days of immersive programming and exhibitors, all kicking off with an opening night party that’s consistently stellar. Here are our top picks for what to catch at this year’s event, which runs September 26 to 29 at the Vancouver Convention Centre.

See You at the Bar

Since opening night party guests inevitably gravitate to the bar, each year IDS works with a designer to make it a showstopper.  This year, Squamish’s Stark Architecture will be creating a soaring space from recycled materials that reaches over 27 feet into the air, making the Perpetua Bar visible from just about anywhere on the show floor.

The Work Behind the Creativity

We’re fortunate to have Omar Gandhi on our WL Designers of the Year judging panel this year—and we’re looking forward to the award-winning architect’s IDS Vancouver keynote (“Extreme Solutions,” Friday at 10 a.m.). His firm is known for creating striking residential projects in tough locations—join him as he charts his team’s ability to find the creative solution while keeping mental health and attention to teamwork at the centre of their work.

Western Living Sunday

Editorial director Anicka Quin and senior editor Stacey McLachlan take the stage on Sunday, chatting with some of the West’s best designers. Look for one of our 2024 WL Furniture Designer of the Year finalists, Celina Dalrymple of Ffabb (on “Creating Comfort”), and WL Architect of the Year finalist, Clinton Cuddington (“The Evolution of West Coast Modern”), along with Vancouver’s most in-demand restaurant designer, Craig Stanghetta (“Crafting Spaces That Resonate”). (2024 WL Designers of the Year Award Winners to be announced September 12—stay tuned!)

Big (and Little) Plans

The immersive Future Neighbourhood exhibit is designed to get the conversation going on good design—even for kids. The hands-on Petit Architects workshop gets littles constructing and designing their own mini-buildings with recycled materials, contributing to a communal model of what they’d like to see in a green city of the future.

Design Vancouver Festival

Leading into IDS this year is the return of Design Vancouver Festival, an immersive 11 days for design lovers curated by past Western Living Fashion Designer of the Year Becki Chan. From September 19 to 29, look for pop-ups all over the city: from a lemonade-stand party (featuring the winning design of the Architecture Foundation of BC’s first competition of the same name) to open studios (ever wanted to see the inner workings of an interior designer’s office?) to architectural walking tours to art auctions—all the way to a bound-to-be delicious session exploring the architecture of dessert. Find your favourites at designvancouver.org

Doors Open

For the upcoming Design Vancouver Festival, events include (from top): tours of the Arts Umbrella building on Granville Island; an open studio of local maker Origins; parties, parties, parties, including one at Vancouver Special; ceramicist Janaki Larsen’s open studio; and more events in elegantly designed spaces, like a coffee tasting at La Marzocco.