Sydney is abuzz with activity right now with the Vivid Festival lighting up the city and the mild weather making the experience an enjoyable affair. Design aficionados have been spoiled for choice this week with designEX exhibiting at its new location on Glebe Island and the annual Good Design Awards event held at White Bay on Wednesday evening.

With the demolition of the Exhibition Centre at Darling Harbour, designEX has moved to a new exhibition building on Glebe Island. The new space is light and bright, with a footprint of some 12,000 square metres over seven sections. This year, more than 400 brands exhibited, with a range of furniture, fabrics, stone, tile and architectural products. The visitor could arrive by car or bus, but for the out-of-towners the ferry was the best choice. Nothing beats the views of Sydney from the water and arriving at the doorstep of the exhibition by boat was a grand way to start the designEX experience.

Stands were busy and business was booming with seminars attracting good crowds throughout the day. You’ll have to be quick to enjoy the designEX experience, however, as it finishes at 5pm this evening.

White Bay played host to more that 600 people who gathered to celebrate the announcement of the winners of the Good Design Awards on Wednesday evening. The Awards are a celebration of industrial design and an integral part of the Good Design Festival, which includes an exhibition and seminars. There were a multitude of categories; however, Caroma was the recipient of the highest accolade, the 2014 Good Design Award of the Year with its Marc Newson designed bathroom collection. Neeson Murcutt Architects, Sue Barnsley Design and the City of Sydney were also recognised in the Best in Architecture and Design category for their outstanding project, Prince Alfred Park Pool.

While designEX and the Good Design Festival will finish today, Vivid is still lighting up the city until 9 June. The Vivid Festival offers myriad events for the visitor, from interactive experiences to exhibitions, installations and seminars. Sydney is definitely the place to be at the moment – celebrating design, architecture, innovation and culture with style.