La Barcelona Design Week (BDW) BDW 19 celebrates its 140th edition this year with more than 2024 activities. Focusing on the theme “Design for Human Future”, BDW XNUMX explores how design can foster sustainable solutions for our planet and society, putting the spotlight on water, taking as a basis the crisis caused by the drought in recent months.
At the press conference held at the Roca Barcelona Gallery, Luis Lopezbarrena, president of the executive committee of Barcelona Design Centre, has stressed that “this edition of BDW will be the best to date” and has highlighted the relevance of BDW at an international level, with its involvement in the global network of World Design Weeks, based in Barcelona.
For its part, Alessandro Manetti, curator of Barcelona Design Week 2024, made special mention of the motto “Design for Human Future”, explaining that the activities are focused on the human capacity to provide solutions that restore the balance between man and the planet. And focusing on water, he added that “design has an imperative to provide solutions to preserve this scarce resource.”
Finally, Isabel roig, director of Barcelona Design Week and Barcelona Design Centre, has outlined the programme for this year. Roig has presented the activities organised by BDW: Day 18, dedicated to the search for sustainable and innovative solutions in relation to this year's theme, with local and international speakers; Disseny en Diagonal, a 2km route along Av. Diagonal where there will be 22 activities in the different participating commercial spaces and urban installations, including an artist's intervention on Escofet's Wave bench in Diagonal/Córcega. And this year's new feature, Underground BDW, an experimental and unconventional format that will be held on 24 and 25 October and that will transform an underground car park, the Parking Gallery at LCI Barcelona, into a dynamic exhibition space. This unique venue will bring together 24 local and international exhibitors who will present projects, products and services with the common goal of generating a positive social impact and promoting solutions for a better human present and future. It will also feature installations such as Breathe With Me, by architect Annabelle Schneider, a multi-sensory space that invites reflection. Roig has highlighted that “Underground BDW was born as an ambitious commitment to the future.”
He also made special mention of the installation by Cervezas Alhambra, “Les Totes de Totes”, an upcycling challenge with the participation of students from Brother Barcelona and LCI Barcelona; the five exhibitions at the Disseny Hub Barcelona, among which he highlighted Inspired in Barcelona: Terra Rossa; the activities at the Associated Venues, such as “First AI Art in Space/Human Cell Atlas”, at the Roca Barcelona Gallery, by Ouchhh Studio, which has become the first to exhibit AI art in space, or “Beyond the Surface”, at the Casa de la Llum – Simon, an immersive experience on water, with a dialogue between the food designer Nicole Vindel and the co-founder of Deem Journal from Los Angeles, Marquise Stillwell.
The director of Barcelona Design Week stressed that “we are very satisfied with the increase in the number of Associated Venues compared to last year” and thanked Brother Barcelona, Cosentino City Barcelona, ESDESIGN, Espacios Alhambra (Casa Bonay and Taller del Clot), IED Barcelona, IKEA Diagonal, Jungle, Kave Home, Kronospan Design Center, LCI Barcelona, NTT DATA, ORAC Experience Centre, Roca Barcelona Gallery, La Casa de la Llum de Simon and The Social Hub for their participation.
This year's graphic design was created by the León Romero design studio.