The book, dedicated to building the memory of design in the Valencian Community through new perspectives on key figures and milestones of our creative ecosystem, will be presented at the Museu de Belles Arts de València in an event open to the public with the participation of its authors and will include a talk with Andrés Goerlich.

 

The Design Foundation of the Region of Valencia, with the support of the Spanish Ministry of Culture and in collaboration with the Spanish Network of Design Associations, is organising an internationalisation initiative as part of the official programme of World Design Capital Frankfurt RheinMain 2026, taking place next May.

«Aperitivo: Spanish Design in Conversation» is the name of this initiative, which will take place at the WDC-Hub in Frankfurt on 7 and 8 May. It will bring together a leading group of Spanish design and creative professionals in a showcase format based on conversations and processes, fostering dialogue between Spain and the German creative ecosystem.

 

The Design Foundation of the Region of Valencia brought together professionals, institutions and the educational community at La Mutant to celebrate design as a real tool for social transformation.

 

On Tuesday 3 March at 19:30h we will celebrate the Social Design Distinctions 2026 award ceremony at La Mutant hall in València, an event through which the Design Foundation of the Region of Valencia will, for the second year, recognise professional careers and academic projects that use design as a real tool for social transformation. Beyond a one-off recognition, these distinctions highlight critical thinking, applied research and emerging talent, consolidating a network of references committed to the positive impact of design on society.

The jury for this edition deliberated around three axes: the projection and coherence of the professional career, the social impact of the projects and the contribution to the dissemination and consolidation of social design as a field of specialisation. Based on these criteria, it was decided to grant the Professional Distinctions 2026 to Raquel Pelta and to the cooperative Makea Tu Vida, and to recognise in the student projects category «Diseñar para todos los sentidos: buenas prácticas para hacer de los espacios lugares más comprensibles, seguros e inclusivos», by Carmen García Molero (Escuela de Enseñanzas Técnicas, Universidad CEU Cardenal Herrera), and «Disseny d’un joc de pinzells adaptats a persones amb paràlisi cerebral», by Luz Moya Ibáñez (Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Aeroespacial y Diseño Industrial, Universitat Politècnica de València).

To attend the ceremony, tickets can be obtained free of charge at this link.

Some endings do not bring anything to a close; they do not shut things down. They prepare the ground. 2025 has been precisely that: a year defined not by a final full stop, but by the bridges we have built towards what comes next.

Three years after beginning our journey as a new promotion entity, born as a legacy of the World Design Capital project and now with a consolidated roadmap, the Design Foundation has experienced a period of expansion, maturity and projection. If 2023 was the take-off and 2024 the confirmation, 2025 has been the year in which we deployed a solid programme with a clear, connected and strategic international vocation.

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.