2020 marked a turning point that we had not imagined. As the Seattle Design Festival prepared for its tenth year, the landscape had changed.
SDF2020’s theme, About Time, sought to ponder past, present, and future at a unique moment of transition for the city, the region and the world. Instead, it confronted the reality of a global public health crisis and its profound impact on our daily lives.
Containment became a necessity. Social distancing had become a best practice. Collaboration strains amid the inability to work together, increasingly physically and sometimes ideologically. These challenges called for a response. The Seattle Design Festival and Center for Architecture and Design eagerly sought ways to harness the potent force of its community and demonstrate the indomitable spirit of design in building and sustaining human connection through times of crisis.
The way that we collaborate has changed, and priorities have shifted. We looked to our community for help and creativity, and to catalyze balance being restored. About Time apart, About Time together – and about so much more. The festival and our exhibit looked different – but went on despite a global pandemic – a testament to our strong design community!