Weekly design calendar: World's tallest building opens to the public

(courtesy of Holon Design Museum)

The Burj Dubai is getting ready for its official inauguration early next month. Also coming up over the next few weeks: Passagen 2010 in Cologne, an Alan Fletcher retrospective, and the opening of a new Israeli design hub.

Bottega Veneta design contest winners announced
December 18
Milan, Italy

Eighteen finalists are in the running to design a piece of furniture for the Italian luxe brand. The winning piece will be produced and sold through Bottega Veneta stores worldwide.

http://www.bottegaveneta.com

Burj Dubai opens
January 4
Dubai, UAE

While its panoramic viewing platform has been open since early December, the world's new tallest building will fully open January 4. Armani's first hotel, located at the tower, will also be ready for occupancy that day.

http://www.burjdubai.com

Passagen 2010
January 18-24
Cologne, Germany

Germany's biggest design event will inaugurate the 2010 design season, with more than 150,000 international design fans traveling to Cologne to attend the country's Interior Design Week, Passagen 2010.

http://www.voggenreiter.com/passagen2010

Alan Fletcher: Fifty years of graphic work (and play)
January 22 - April 3
Manchester, UK

Alan Fletcher has been described as "Britain's best ever graphic designer" by the Observer and "one of the giants of 20th Century design" by the Guardian. Now, CUBE gallery in Manchester is putting together a major retrospective of the designer's and artist's work spanning designs from 50 years.

http://www.cube.org.uk

Holon Design Museum opens
January 31
Holon, Israel

Built by Ron Arad as the designer's first big architectural project, the newly completed building has already won its first award (the Condé Nast Traveller Innovation and Design Award for Culture), and those involved hope that it will become a new design hub for the country.

www.dmh.org.il