The city of brotherly love celebrates National Design Week with 11 days of programming showcasing the works of over 450 designers. True to it's host city name, DesignPhiladelphia's programming has a unique focus on the way design can transform the landscape of the city—from reclaiming vacant lots with students from Penn Design to conversations about the future of preservation, to the development of the Reading Viaduct project—Philadelphia's design scene clearly sees themselves as part of a larger community.

This is evident in everything from the SHIFT_DESIGN pop-up store selling beautifully crafted planters and rainwater collection barrels to the temporary BetterBlocksPhilly installation which explores innovative neighborhood street design and traffic calming strategies.

In its 7th year, DesignPhiladelphia kicks off tomorrow, Thursday October 13th, with an awards ceremony presenting Mayor Michael A. Nutter the first annual Design Champion Award, followed by gallery visits to the Vox Populi, Grizzly Grizzly Gallery and the Action Mill. The night ends with the Curlie Show, a performance featuring the, "flirtatious design of burlesque hair styles."

Check out the DesignPhiladelphia site for a full listing of letterpress and jewelry making workshops, interior design talks, architecture lectures, open studio visits, exhibitions and more.

Here's a roundup of some not-to-be-missed events and exhibitions: + Core77 jurist Rama Chorpash on the exchange between people and everyday things!

+ Reese Palley, author of A 7,000 Year History of Concrete, builds a Mini Model of a Nuclear Power Plant

+ Open Studios at MAAS Furniture

+ Printer Smash at the Hacktory lets you "give that printer the punishment it deserves." Safety glasses provided.

+ Scandinavian Design Retrospective

+ Skateboarding is a lifestyle and what better way to use old boards than turning them into new products? Push Sk8board Gallery exhibits products from Deck Stool alongside photography, sculpture and art.