The Lithuanian Design Week 2021, organised by the Lithuanian Design Forum, invites you to go beyond all possible notions, definitions and boundaries of thinking about design and its essence.

We would like to announce that the theme of this year’s pandemic Design Week is symbiosis. It is a long-lasting relationship between different types of organisms, the simplest explanation of which would be, coexistence. Symbiosis is a surprising and fascinating example of inter-species interaction found in nature. It is because of symbiosis that different organisms not only survive or reproduce more easily, but are also able to evolve to give rise to new forms of life.

“The Lithuanian Design Forum takes this rather complex but very flexible term, converts it into the field of design, and asks the questions: what kind of symbiosis could be found in design and the environment around it? Is it possible to reconcile the incompatible and achieve a certain level of coexistence? “During Design Week, we invite you to reflect together on the coexistence of two closely related organisms – design and society – in a symbiotic relationship, benefiting each other and creating something original, fresh and necessary for today.

Just like any other living organism or process, design is also capable of mutating and adapting to its environment and its factors. Living between a permanent reality and a virtual reality (reality vs. digital world), and as if balancing between two dimensional worlds, inevitably raises questions about what is real and necessary, and what is rejected and unnecessary, or even harmful. Design and its environment are no exception.

One of the most important aspects of design is sustainability. It is not only about sustainable materials, but also about sustainable thinking, where both the designer and the person making or using the product think about the necessity and functionality of the object in everyday life.

So what is the symbiosis between Lithuanian design and sustainability, or between Lithuanian sustainable use and what Lithuanian designers offer the market? This is an extremely important critical question.