After travelling through València, Aldaia and New Delhi, the collection of designer fans that symbolizes the dialogue between design and the fan-making craft now finds its permanent home at the MUPA. Thus, the Design Foundation donates this iconic exhibition —which unites craftsmanship, design and technology to celebrate the fan as a cultural and innovative symbol— in an action that embodies the strength of culture, solidarity and the resilience of Valencian design; a tribute to the memory and the capacity for rebirth of Valencian craftsmanship.

On March 6, the Design Foundation of the Region of Valencia will hold the first edition of the Social Design Distinctions at Teatre El Musical in València, an initiative that aims to highlight the impact of design as a tool for social transformation. In this first edition, the professional trajectories of Hilary Cottam and Manolo Bañó in the field of social design will be recognised, along with the student projects “Fauna, el joguet dels parcs naturals” by Juan Manuel Pedro Aránega and “Educational environments for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder” by María José Bustos Garnica.

The Design Foundation of the Region of Valencia takes a step forward in the institutionalisation of design by celebrating the first edition of the Social Design Distinctions, a new project aligned with our mission to promote the cultural and social dimension of design, as well as its contribution to academic advancement. These recognitions are divided into two professional awards and two student project awards, focused on sustainability, social design, equality, innovation, ethics, and commitment through design.

In deciding these recognitions, the committee deliberated on strategic and political purposes, on a social design that addresses class and gender, and particularly on three criteria: professional scope, project impact, and dissemination of social design as a discipline. Based on these criteria, the selection committee decided that British designer Hilary Cottam and Valencian designer Manolo Bañó are the two professionals to receive the 2025 distinctions, while the projects “Fauna, el joguet dels parcs naturals” by Juan Manuel Pedro Aránega (Escola d’Art i Superior de Disseny de Castelló) and “Educational environments for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: design criteria and architectural strategies” by María José Bustos Garnica (Universitat Politècnica de València) will receive the student distinctions for 2025.

It will be honouree Manolo Bañó who will close the ceremony with a lecture on social design and his more than 25 years of experience in the discipline, combining his extensive teaching career with his status as one of Spain’s leading industrial designers.

The Social Design Distinctions 2025 ceremony will take place on Thursday, March 6 at 8:00 p.m. at Teatre El Musical (Plaça del Rosari 3, València). Admission is free, upon registration via the following form: https://fundaciodisseny.typeform.com/social2025

Local and international recognition of social design

These distinctions are conceived as annual awards, serving both as professional reference and educational exercise for society, sending a universal message grounded in social values and acting as a lever for future generations. The committee, composed of Vicent Martínez, Amparo Bertomeu and Pepe Cosín from the executive board of the Design Foundation; Kike Correcher and Luis Calabuig as board members; and external experts Xènia Viladàs, Anatxu Zabalbeascoa, and Lilian González, decided to grant the 2025 professional distinctions to Manolo Bañó and Hilary Cottam, thereby highlighting the global reach of their work, from local to international impact.

The committee was appointed by the Foundation’s Board of Trustees and will invite internationally renowned figures each year to help select and spotlight both professional figures and student projects. The organisation emphasises that having such outstanding profiles for this 2025 edition, consultant and educator Xènia Viladàs, journalist and art historian Anatxu Zabalbeascoa, and Mexican designer Lilian González, has been an invaluable contribution to launching this new project by the Design Foundation.

Social design from Valencian schools and universities

At the same time, the selection committee chose two student projects from over a hundred submitted by various design schools and universities of the Region of Valencia over the past two years, highlighting both the dedication of Valencian educational institutions and the high quality of final projects.

“Fauna, el joguet dels parcs naturals” is the Final Degree Project in Graphic Design by Juan Manuel Pedro Aránega (Escola d’Art i Superior de Disseny de Castelló), supervised by Ester Parra Sebastià. It proposes an educational and inclusive toy designed to connect Castellón’s Natural Parks with schools, going beyond one-off visits. Through a graphic system and a promotional campaign, the project seeks to position these parks as a key option for family leisure, including exercises and materials co-designed with teachers to encourage literacy, creativity, and psychomotor skills, while adapting to classroom diversity. The visual identity was developed in collaboration with students from CEE Baix Maestrat, validating its educational impact through school workshops.

As for “Educational environments for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: design criteria and architectural strategies” by María José Bustos Garnica, this is her Final Master’s Project in Advanced Architecture, Landscape, Urbanism and Design, supervised by José Luis Baró Zarzo and Ana Pascual Rubio at the School of Architecture of the Universitat Politècnica de València. The project analyses how architecture influences the education of children with ASD, proposing design guidelines that foster well-being and development. In the absence of specific regulations, it examines spatial, sensory, and emotional needs, evaluates adapted educational centres, and establishes strategies for more inclusive environments, extracting, through a comprehensive approach, architectural principles that facilitate learning and autonomy, promoting accessible and universal architecture.

During the ceremony, special recognition will also be given to the tutors of these student projects, as well as their schools.

The design of the professional distinction pieces will be unveiled during the ceremony, crafted by Matterica, a Valencian studio that fuses craftsmanship and design to create jewellery objects that bridge tradition and contemporary expression. Another Valencian company, Dominio De la Vega, will sponsor the post-ceremony wine reception with its first organic wines, a project deeply rooted in sustainability and guided by designer Inma Bermúdez.

The ceremony is made possible thanks to the collaboration of the Cultural Action Department of the València City Council, Teatre El Musical (TEM) and Caixa Popular, an institution that promotes social values and supports their growth from within the educational community of the Region of Valencia.

 

· Thursday, March 6 at 8:00pm
· Doors open: 7:30pm
· Teatre El Musical (Plaça del Rosari 3, València, Spain)
· Free entry registering at: https://fundaciodisseny.typeform.com/social2025

 

UPDATE: Read the ceremony recap > HERE

The festival, organized by the Design Foundation of the Region of Valencia, has extended for over a month of creativity, reflection, and innovation, confirming the city’s creative momentum with more than 70 activities across over 40 venues.

 

The event, organized by the Design Foundation of the Region of Valencia, concluded València Design Fest with a program that brought together professionals, brands, media, and content creators to reflect on the challenges and opportunities of sustainable fashion.


The fourth edition of «Future of Fashion» arrived at a time when sustainability seemed to be losing priority on the fashion agenda, threatened by the global geopolitical and socioeconomic context. However, the international meeting on sustainable fashion, industry, and design held last October 16 proved that sustainability is no longer a trend but a necessary commitment from the industry — one that its key players are willing to drive forward. La Harinera, home to València Innovation Capital, witnessed a sold-out event that undoubtedly marks “a milestone of consolidation for the project”, with full capacity and tickets sold out.

The Executive Director of the Design Foundation of the Region of Valencia has been elected member of the World Design Organization Board for the 2025–2027 term, consolidating Valencia’s presence in the global governance of design.

Within the framework of the 34th General Assembly of the World Design Organization (WDO), held last Thursday at the Design Museum in London, Valencian designer Xavi Calvo, Executive Director of the Design Foundation of the Region of Valencia, was elected as a member of the renewed Board of the organization for the 2025–2027 term.

The election of Xavi Calvo represents a new milestone for Valencia on the international design scene, consolidating the strong track record of Valencian presence on the WDO Board of Directors following the consecutive terms of Luis Calabuig (founder of Odosdesign) and Jesús Llinares (CEO of Andreu World), both members of the board of trustees of the Design Foundation of the Region of Valencia.

“I take on this challenge with great enthusiasm and responsibility. I have always stated that I believe in design as a tool for positive transformation, fully aligned with the message of the World Design Organization, and from this position I want to contribute to strengthening its global role, building bridges between industry, institutions, and society,” declared Xavi Calvo after his appointment. His election as the second most-voted candidate demonstrates the strong trust that the majority of the organization’s members have placed in him.

Xavi Calvo (Valencia, 1980) is a designer and design advocate. He was one of those responsible for launching Valencia’s candidacy to become World Design Capital, later served as General Director of World Design Capital Valencia 2022, and is currently the Executive Director of the Design Foundation of the Region of Valencia. In the previous WDO term, he was also appointed Community Liaison, and he represents Valencia as a UNESCO City of Design within the Creative Cities Network, reaffirming his role in collaborating with other global organizations.

A renewed Board of Directors

Following the results of the General Assembly voting, the new WDO Board of Directors for the 2025–2027 period is composed of 9 members:
· Anna Barbara, President of POLI.Design (Italy)
· Xavi Calvo, Executive Director of the Design Foundation of the Region of Valencia (Spain)
· Laura Figueroa, President of the Colegio de Profesionistas en Diseño de México (Mexico)
· Mui Kinoshita, President of the Hong Kong Designers Association (Hong Kong SAR, China)
· Denys Lapointe, Chief Design Officer of BRP (Canada)
· Oliver Lin, Vice President of the Taiwan Design Research Institute (Taiwan)
· Sonia Manchanda, Founder of Spread Design Innovation (India)
· Ken Nah, Korea Institute of Design Promotion (Korea)
· Eisuke Tachikawa, President of the Japan Industrial Design Association (Japan)

In this new Board, Pradyumna Vyas from the Confederation of Indian Industry takes over the presidency, a profile specialized in design policy development who was also President of India’s National Institute of Design for more than a decade. Also elected was the new President-elect for 2027–2029, Makiko Tsumura of Japan, Director of the Japan Institute of Design Promotion.

“This international recognition is a collective achievement that highlights Valencia’s positioning in the world. The responsibility of the Foundation is to continue working so that our territory becomes a global benchmark in design, innovation, and also social values,” Calvo stated.

With this appointment to the WDO governing body, the Design Foundation of the Region of Valencia reinforces its role in international networks, in line with its mission to promote design as a driver of innovation, sustainability, and economic and cultural development. Moreover, earlier this year the Design Foundation was accepted as a member of BEDA (The Bureau of European Design Associations) as a Design Promotion Institution, and it is an official partner of the New European Bauhaus, a European Commission initiative that continues to foster new links across Europe.


World Design Congress

The WDO General Assembly took place as part of the World Design Congress, a biennial event organized this year in collaboration with the UK Design Council, from September 9 to 11 at London’s iconic Barbican Centre. The event attracted more than 1,200 attendees to conferences centered on the theme ‘Design for Planet.’

Some of the keynote speakers included world-renowned figures such as Norman Foster, Julia Watson, Thomas Heatherwick, Marianna Mazzucato, and Brian Eno, all of whom shared how design can act as a catalyst for a better future. The World Design Medal 2025 was also awarded to renowned industrial designer Dieter Rams, father of the 10 Principles of Good Design manifesto, who has greatly contributed to good design over the past decades. Among the major announcements at this congress, Busan’s Mayor Heong-joon Park officially received the designation of Busan as World Design Capital 2028, and it was revealed that the next World Design Congress in 2027 will be held in Seoul under the theme ‘Design for Sustainable Life.’

Award for Valencian company Andreu World

After the Board of Directors elections for the 2025–2027 term concluded, outgoing President Thomas Garvey presented the WDO President’s Award. The award was given to the Valencian company Andreu World and received by its CEO, Jesús Llinares, in recognition of its commitment to the mission and values of the World Design Organization. The pioneering role of Andreu World in the use of sustainable materials, circular business models, and best practices was highlighted as an inspiration for the industry worldwide.

World Design Organization: Design for a better world

The World Design Organization is a recognized international non-governmental organization whose mission is to promote and advance the discipline of industrial design and its ability to improve economic, social, cultural, and environmental quality of life.

Founded in 1957, the organization serves more than 215 member organizations worldwide, bringing together leading design institutions and engaging thousands of professionals through its innovative programs and initiatives that advocate, as its slogan states, “design for a better world.”


With the election of Xavi Calvo to the WDO Board, Valencian design continues its trajectory of global leadership in the sector, adding its voice to other international representatives elected at the 34th General Assembly held last week at the Design Museum in London.

From September 12 to October 16, València will once again become an international hub of creativity with the third edition of València Design Fest, the major event promoted by the Design Foundation of the Region of Valencia.

The festival brings together more than 60 activities open to all audiences. Exhibitions, talks, workshops, guided tours, screenings, and gatherings will shape the València Design Fest program around three major themes: craftsmanship, urban design, and sustainability. In addition, the 2025 program revives the most avant-garde legacy of Valencian design with the line “Disruptive Design,” connecting past and present to project a critical and contemporary vision of creativity that takes us back to the 1980s.

The presentation event, held this Tuesday at the MuVIM, was inaugurated by local and national authorities and attended by a notable representation of the Valencian design sector, including institutions, schools, cultural agents, and companies. “València Design Fest reaffirms the city’s role as a creative hub of international reference and allows us to continue projecting the legacy of World Design Capital 2022, raising València’s global profile as a leader in innovation and creativity,” said Xavi Calvo, director of the Design Foundation.

The full program of València Design Fest 2025 is now available at: www.valenciadesignfest.com



Contemporary Craft: «Tiempo + Materia»

Within its own program «Tiempo + Materia», València Design Fest brings together all content linked to contemporary craft, curated once again by Estudio Savage as one of the main themes of the festival, with an exhibition and a set of experiences and talks around craft creation. This year’s guiding thread: gastronomy and design.

The main «Tiempo + Materia» exhibition will open at the MuVIM, Museu Valencià de la Il·lustració i de la Modernitat, on September 12, the official opening day of the festival, and will remain open for one month, showcasing works from national and international studios and workshops. The curators Estudio Savage will also lead several guided tours, announced on the festival website. As a special preview, one day before the opening, on Thursday September 11, the Barreira school, one of the institutions linked to València Design Fest’s craft program, will host an inaugural lecture at its Gran Vía Fernando el Católico headquarters by Fondo Supper Club, the creative studio that uses gastronomy as a tool to explore artistic practices.

Adrián Salvador of Estudio Savage, curators of «Tiempo + Materia», highlighted that this program “seeks to demonstrate that craftsmanship is not only about creating objects, but also an intangible manifestation with the power to connect past and present, tradition and innovation, and the individual with the collective.” Lucas Zaragosi, also of Estudio Savage, added that “this approach allows new generations of contemporary creators to reinterpret the craft, taking it to new frontiers, exploring its relevance in an increasingly globalized, digital, sensorial, and experiential world.”

As for this year’s talks, experiences, and workshops, participants include the artisan ice cream shop Campo a través on September 16 at Merkato Hub, Vidrio Sorribes on September 17 at Barreira, Steinbeisser on September 18, Clara Diez with Jesús Terrés on September 23 at CookTL, Canoalab on September 23, Estudio Savage at the Ágora Nude of Feria Hábitat on September 30, and Celler del Roure, once again with Vidrio Sorribes, on October 7 at off_line café.



Architecture and the City

Urban and architectural design once again takes center stage with a series of activities reflecting on how the relationship between architecture and humans has evolved.

Through debates and other discussion formats, contemporary examples will be presented under a common leitmotif: a more human practice, where people are the main asset of architecture. Highlights include conversations on new perspectives on architecture: Bona Fide and Clara Sáez on September 17 at Odosdesign, and “Intimate Architecture” on September 26 at Merkato Hub.

One of this year’s key venues will be the Colegio Territorial de Arquitectos de València, which will host the Neuroarchitecture Day on September 22, in collaboration with Fundación Arquia. Speakers will include Carmen Linares, Soledat Berbegal, and Nuria Matarredona, while Ana Mombiedro will present her book Espacio, cuerpo y mente. María Aucejo will give her presentation on September 24, and the second edition of “La Ciudad Generosa” will take place on October 14.

There will also be children’s workshops on architecture and the city, on September 26 with Silvana Andrés at the MuVIM.

Another milestone of this year’s València Design Fest is the collaboration with Concéntrico festival, an urban innovation lab that invites reflection on the city through architecture and design, proposing new collective uses of public space each year from Logroño. The Technical School of Architecture at the Polytechnic University of València will host an exhibition on Concéntrico starting September 25, displaying one of the pieces from its past edition. In addition, the new Veneno space will present the special 10th anniversary book of the festival directed by Javier Peña in Logroño, on October 13.



Fashion and Disruptive Design

The València Design Fest program also takes visitors back to the 1980s, when València established itself as a hub of disruptive design in Spain. In a context of cultural effervescence and the opening of previously existing borders, innovative movements emerged that broke away from established norms. The Design Foundation proposes to recover that essence with a series of activities organized in collaboration with the Arxiu Valencià del Disseny, showcasing some of the protagonists of fashion and architecture of that era.

On September 15, there will be a gathering and roundtable with some of the members of the brand Tráfico de Modas about Valencian fashion in the 70s and 80s, with a visit to the exhibition of the same name at La Nau. Also at La Nau, on September 19, the series “Confessions of Design” will kick off, bringing two generations face to face: MacDiego will be “confessed” by Elena Yuste and Sheila Moreno about the Valencian creative sector and its past and present challenges.

On September 25, La Filmoteca will screen The Grand Budapest Hotel by Wes Anderson, followed by a talk with representatives of La Filmoteca, designer Carmen Baselga, and Sara Mansanet, director of La Mostra de València, discussing the intersection of cinema, architecture, and design. Continuing with screenings, on October 3, the School of Art and Design of València will host a showing of Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown with a cine-forum on cinema and fashion in the 1960s, 70s, and 80s.

Also joining this retrospective is Bombas Gens, Centre d’Arts Digitals, which from October 2 will open the major immersive exhibition “La Ruta: modernity, culture, and chaos,” inviting visitors to revisit a historic chapter that marked a turning point—a revolution that forever changed the way leisure and nightlife were understood in València.


Future of Fashion

Under the motto From ideas to action, Future of Fashion returns on October 16 to close València Design Fest. This international meeting on sustainable fashion serves as a platform for creation, experimentation, and knowledge exchange through design, focusing on the transformation of the fashion industries.

Future of Fashion will take place at La Harinera thanks to the collaboration of València Innovation Capital. Now in its fourth edition, and curated by Patricia Moreno Barberá, it continues as one of the legacies of València World Design Capital, serving again as an international “think tank” to debate the transformation of the fashion industries and their sustainable impact.

Last Friday, València became the epicenter of global design by hosting, for the first time in Spain, the celebration of World Industrial Design Day, an event broadcast live worldwide and dedicated to discussing the ethical principles of design. The event was organized by Andreu World in collaboration with the Fundació del Disseny, the World Design Organization, and the València City Council through València Innovation Capital.

Paula Llobet, Councillor for Tourism, Innovation and Investment Attraction at Valencia.

 
Today, Sunday, June 29th, is World Industrial Design Day, and we’re celebrating it from València, which once again became the epicenter of global design by hosting the World Industrial Design Day 2025, an international event led this year by Andreu World, in collaboration with the Design Foundation of the Region of Valencia, the World Design Organization, and the València City Council through València Innovation Capital. For over 16 hours last Friday, we broadcast content focused on ethics and design as shared themes, connecting with different parts of the world, with a central live hub at La Harinera, making València the host city of the main event.
 

The event was backed by the City Council of Valencia. The day was launched by Paula Llobet, Councilor for Tourism, Innovation, and Investment Attraction, who highlighted the strategic importance of design as a driver of transformation: “Often, certain sectors are unaware of the transformative impact that design can have in addressing economic, social, and environmental challenges. That is why it is essential to generate synergies between companies and the creative ecosystem. In Valencia, we have an innovative and dynamic environment that is ideal for promoting projects that not only add economic value but also contribute to collective well-being, positioning the city as an international benchmark in design-related innovation.”

For her part, Ester Olivas, Director General of Entrepreneurship and Internationalization for the Valencian Community, emphasized that “this event represents a unique opportunity to reflect on the shared responsibility that exists around the world regarding ethical design. It is a time to rethink how we design, based on values that place sustainability, inclusion, and social commitment at the center. And there is no better place to do so than Valencia, a city that has established itself as a creative force and international benchmark in the field of design.”

This year, we’re celebrating the World Industrial Design Day from Valencia!
And we’d like to invite you to join us in person for this global event where we’ll explore the principles of ethical design.

Valencia hosts the World Industrial Design Day for the first time in Spain. Six years after being announced as World Design Capital and following its recent recognition as a UNESCO City of Design, Valencia once again becomes the stage for a major international milestone: the World Industrial Design Day 2025 will be celebrated with a global event led by the World Design Organization taking place on June 27 at La Harinera, València Innovation Capital.

Under the theme “Let’s get ethical”, the day will bring together professionals, companies, students, and design institutions from around the world to discuss the major ethical challenges facing the discipline: sustainability, accessibility, emerging technologies, fair design, or responsible education, among others. Organized by Andreu World together with the Design Foundation of the Region of Valencia and in collaboration with the València City Council, the event will be streamed internationally over 16 hours, with a central block from 9am to 2pm (CEST) live from Valencia, which is open to the public upon prior registration.

The Valencia program will focus on ethics, design education, and industry, with a series of round tables and presentations by leading experts addressing topics such as the social responsibility of design, its impact across sectors, or the development of ethical frameworks and professional codes.

The event is free to attend with registration and will close with a celebration cocktail, from 9:30am to 2pm.

Let’s get ethical. Let’s meet in Valencia!