The World Design Street Festival, the first major retrospective of Jaime Hayon in Spain and the International Interior Design Forum stand out alongside Valencia Disseny Week and the Hábitat València Fair, the biggest in history coinciding with the World Design Capital Valencia 2022.
September is a time to set new goals, to get back into a routine and, especially this year, it is also a time to take a look at the social beliefs associated with design. For this reason, the next few weeks will be dedicated to demonstrating the importance of design in people's lives.
Having made history with the celebration of València as World Design Capital 2022, the city is concentrating its overflowing creativity to the streets to promote design and its protagonists with enthusiasm and commitment, fostering local pride and celebrating the city's designation as an international epicentre of design.
In this special year, the World Design Street Festival brings together the activities of Feria Hábitat València and Valencia Disseny Week, as well as the programme of the festivals taking place this autumn: Miradors de l'Horta, Open House Valencia, Abierto València, the Ensems Festival of contemporary music and European Mobility Week.
In addition, the World Design Street Festival has its own programme of activities organised by València World Design Capital 2022 in partnership with different collaborating companies and institutions, such as València City Council, IVACE International, València Provincial Council, Feria València and Renfe (official transport).
- World Design Street Festival, the celebration of design in the streets
The World Design Street Festival will take place from 19 to 25 September with the aim of encouraging the public to explore design, providing a unique opportunity to involve society, attract international visitors, show the importance of design, to teach about it and to fill the city with installations, workshops for all audiences, exhibitions and open studio events. The brimming agenda can be found on the website: https://streetfestivalvalencia.com/
Conceived as an organic and fluid route through the city, this action translates into a full week in which to provoke spontaneous reflection on the true concept and meaning of design and to turn around social beliefs regarding this field.
Likewise, and thanks to the "Design Windows" initiative, the streets of Valencia will host a showcase of the best Valencian design during these dates, thus showcasing the talent of Valencian creativity not only in the field of prescription, but to all citizens. Spread throughout different areas of the city, these design windows will house products and designs from Valencian companies to tell the world about the success of the region's industry.
- Valencia Disseny Week and Feria Hábitat València, the biggest ever in 2022
The biggest València Disseny Week to date will take place from 20 to 23 September. The aim of this annual event, organised by the Designers' Association of the Valencian Community, is to make Valencian design talent visible, both nationally and internationally, as well as to highlight its scope and potential as a driver of innovation, sustainability and social, cultural and economic evolution.
The 13th edition of the VDW will have a diverse programme, which will include exhibitions, talks, conferences, workshops, openings and presentations, with different contents and approaches. Among its activities we will find the so-called "Design Walks", the open days in design studios in the Valencian Community. These routes are aimed at all kinds of audiences to give visibility to the work, creative and organisational processes of the professional world of design.
In parallel, Valencia will become the centre of creativity, trends and style with one of the most important events in the home furnishings industry and the contract sector: the Hábitat València Fair. A carefully selected range of Spanish and international exhibitors will delight visitors and professionals from all over the world with new designs, perfect for creating inspiring environments full of sophistication.
One of the highlights of Feria Hábitat València's agenda of activities is its programme of conferences and seminars on design. This year, under the name of World Design Capital Valencia 2022 Forum, round tables will address the future of design, digitalisation, Industry 4.0, the home of the future and the irruption of 'big data' in design, among many other aspects. All of this will be led by prestigious professionals such as Mónica Armani, Tomás Alía and Juan Carlos Baumgartner.
- The International Interior Design Forum (FIDI), design as a transversal tool for social change to improve people's quality of life and health
On the 21st and 22nd, as part of Feria Hábitat València, the Official Association of Interior Decorators and Designers of the Valencia Region will be organising a forum on the concept of health from the perspective of interior design. The symposium "International Interior Design Forum" (FIDI) will be attended by Juan Luis Arsuaga, Luis Rojas Marcos, Juan José Millás, Anatxu Zabalbeascoa, Juli Capella, Ana Lluch and Benedetta Tagliabue, who will give their views and experience on the subject. From the concepts of matter, space and well-being, food, rest, hygiene, work, study, leisure, commerce... will be addressed.
A meeting point with the best specialists to reflect together on their role in the field of health and to discern how design is key to people's wellbeing. With top-level figures who do not always have a direct relationship with design.
- “Jaime Hayon: InfinitaMente", a tribute to the limitless creativity of one of its most international ambassadors
On 22 September, the exhibition "Jaime Hayon: InfinitaMente" will open its doors at the Centre del Carme Cultura Contemporània, the first large-scale retrospective of Jaime Hayon's work to be held in Spain. The exhibition, which can be visited in the Ferreres and Goerlich rooms of the CCCC, is organised and produced by the Consorci de Museus de la Comunitat Valenciana and the CCCC and will take place as part of the official programme of València World Design Capital 2022.
The retrospective will show a selection of the most emblematic works of the multifaceted creator from Madrid, closely linked to València, including pieces never before presented in our country. From a didactic approach, "Jaime Hayon: InfinitaMente" will take a journey through his personal universe and his creative process through materials, tools, inspiration and references. The exhibition also includes works that have never been shown in Spain, as well as large-format paintings and sculptures.
- “Gente que cuenta" with Anatxu Zabalbeascoa and Patricia Urquiola
Journalist Anatxu Zabalbeascoa has been conducting some of the most interesting and moving interviews on the national and international cultural scene for many years. Since her collaborations with El País Semanal, she has been able to talk to well-known figures such as Patty Smith, Ian McEwan, Zaha Hadid, Isabel Coixet, Delphine de Vigan or Miguel Milá, to name just a few, portraying their vulnerability and greatness.
Her book, "Gente que cuenta" with some of the protagonists who have been part of this kaleidoscope of names, will be presented in World Design Capital Valencia 2022 in the company of the designer Nacho Lavernia, Eva Serrano (editor of the book) and Patricia Urquiola, in a conversation about the past, present and future of one of the most renowned Spanish designers in the world.
- A review of the milestones in the career of the designer Vicent Martínez
The exhibition "Vicent Martínez, a continuous present. Memory, the recent and the unpublished" will be held as part of Feria Hábitat Valencia. The exhibition, curated by C. Rafael Martínez-Martínez, aims to explore some of the milestones in his career as a product designer of the co-founder of Punt Mobles, the first Valencian company to be awarded the National Design Prize in 1997.
- nude, a tribute to emerging design at Hábitat València and the CCCC
From 20 to 23 September, 22 projects by editors, schools and design studios will be taking part in the new edition of nude, the show for young design talent at Feria Hábitat València and the main platform for launching and creativity in the field of habitat in Spain. In turn, and coinciding with the 20th anniversary of nude, the Centre del Carme Cultura Contemporània (CCCC) is hosting a retrospective of the most emblematic pieces from the show's trajectory, signed by different design studios that have become consolidated in recent years. The exhibition “nude. 20 years”, curated by Odosdesign, seeks to highlight the role of nude as the most important breeding ground for emerging talent in our country and a bridge to design production companies and the media. On Tuesday 20th September, a meeting party will be held for all the designers, companies and institutions that have been part of the consolidation of this show.
- OFF Feria Hábitat València
Another of the highlights of the design celebration in the streets of Valencia will be the HabitatOFF parties, which on the 20th, 21st and 22nd of September will take the hustle and bustle of Feria Hábitat València to Àgora València in the evening, where there will be big parties celebrating design with music, open to all the professionals who will be at the fair during the week.
- World Design Street Festival affiliated events: Miradors de l'horta, Ensems, Open House València and Abierto València
The Miradors de l'horta festival, organized by Turisme Carraixet, joins the Street Festival with a whole program of activities in which, from design, reflect on the future of the orchard in the city of Valencia. A way to guarantee its survival and reflect on its management model. All this within the framework of the Street Festival and bringing the talent and creativity of design professionals to the garden from September 23 to October 9.
On September 15, Agora Valencia will host the opening party of the 44th edition of Ensems Party Studies within the framework of the World Design Street Festival. On this occasion, DJ Tekiero, Diego Navarro and DJ Cute Aggression will pay a special tribute to the Ruta del Bakalao. Subsequently, from September 16 to 25, different venues in Valencia, Castellón and Alicante will be filled with contemporary music to celebrate the Valencia Contemporary Music Festival under the slogan "Finestres", with part of its programming included in the Street Festival and with the Agora Valencia as the headquarters.
On the occasion of the World Design Street Festival, a preview of the Open House Valencia urban festival will be offered through a selection of themed architectural routes to get to know the city from an expert in the field. Between September 24 and 25, the tours "Goerlich: urban planning and architecture in the historic center of Valencia", "The Turia gardens, 35th anniversary", "The architecture of Antonio Escario" and "The garden of the periphery" will take place. Open House Valencia, which seeks to value heritage and cultural identity, will celebrate its 4th edition on October 22 and 23.
Finally, from September 23 to 30, art galleries will also join the World Design Street Festival on the tenth anniversary of Abierto València, organized by LAVAC, the Association of Contemporary Art Galleries of the Valencian Community. The initiative includes a program of activities and routes through the main art galleries in the city of Valencia and exclusive meetings in different venues in the city, from the IVAM, Caixa Forum or the Cañada Blanch Foundation, in addition to all the LAVAC galleries.
- The legacy of modern design, the focus of the 17th DoCoMoMo Congress
The 17th DoCoMoMo International Congress, under the theme "Modern design: social commitment and quality of life", will be held from 6 to 9 September in Spain as part of the official program of València World Design Capital 2022 and in collaboration with the UPV and the Higher Technical School of Architecture of Valencia.
From the relationship that was established between modern design and industry through the use of new materials and techniques, companies specializing in the manufacture of certain objects emerged that renewed traditional criteria. Today, many of these designs are still in use today and have become cultural icons. The theme of the DoCoMoMo International Conference 2022 will also provide an opportunity to reflect on how the renewal of interior space in the broadest sense took place, the different contexts in which it developed and who the architects were.
- "Recycling and circular design", the EMTRE workshops at the Agora
Next Wednesday 7 September at 10 am, the Metropolitan Entity for Waste Treatment (EMTRE) and World Design Capital Valencia 2022 will present at a press conference the workshops "Recycling and circular design", which will be held on that Wednesday in the Agora Valencia space in the Town Hall Square from 11 am to 7 pm, in 45-minute sessions and with free access after registration (limited places).
The initiative, part of Emtreduca - EMTRE's environmental education program - consists of a participatory game aimed at young people - aged 6 and over - adults and families. Based on a challenge, participants will have to demonstrate how much they know about the correct separation of waste, the importance of bio-waste as a useful resource, and other key concepts of environmental sustainability.
- "The art of designing letters", with Rubio
Calligraphy embodies one of the most obvious links between the field of graphic design and education. Through Rubio's playful workshop "The art of designing letters", children will be able to learn about basic concepts, such as the different styles of letters and how to play with them to make their own letters and compositions, in an entertaining and fun way.
All the workshops will be held at the Centre del Carme Cultura Contemporània (CCCC) from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm and will be given by Beatriz Nácher -author of "Mi primer libro de caligrafía creativa", by Rubio- and with the collaboration of Faber-Castell. The workshop will provide all the necessary material: felt-tip pens, paper and, in particular, the notebook "The art of designing letters", a special edition in conjunction with València World Design Capital 2022. The activity, aimed especially at accompanied children from 8 to 13 years of age, is free with prior registration and will take place on Saturdays 10 and 24 September (places are sold out) and on 15 and 22 October.
- Approach to the Nolla mosaic
On 10 September at 11 am, Agora Valencia will host the educational workshop "An approach to the Nolla mosaic" by Arae Patrimonio. A small-format family initiative in which participants will be able to discover the design in a practical way the design and application of one of the most widespread Valencian artisan heritages in the world: Nolla ceramics is the first high-performance ceramic produced in Spain.
From small geometric stoneware tesserae, complex mosaic-like compositions were created. The success of the Nolla mosaic crossed borders, reaching Cuba and the Philippines, and of course it became part of the most modernist buildings in the city of Valencia. The workshop has been conceived as a game to facilitate the participants’ familiarisation with the designs of the historic Nolla company as they have fun.
- Exhibition and round table "Ceramics of Exploration"
On 23 September at El Convent espai d'art de Castelló, the exhibition "Cerámica de Exploración" will premiere, related to the ADN Cerámico project directed by Ana Illueca. The common thread of the exhibition is the different ways of exploration through ceramics, exemplified through finished works, work processes, research into materials and techniques, unforeseen results, cases in industry, etc.
The following Tuesday, the 27th, there will be a round table discussion followed by the premiere presentation of "Rafa Galindo's Ceramic DNA".
- The Blablanights cycle returns to LABA Valencia
On 28 September the Blablanights cycle returns with a masterclass by Santi Vilanova, CEO Sound Research of the audiovisual research studio Playmodes. This session is organised in collaboration with VOlumens, Festival of Art, Music, Science and Technology, whose sixth edition will be held in Valencia from 28 September to 1 October. All those who wish to attend the masterclass can do so in person at LABA Valencia -with prior registration- or via streaming.
- Presentation of the catalog of the exhibition "Designing the air"
Within the framework of València World Design Capital 2022, with the support of the Diputació de València and València Turisme, and with the designer Vicent Martínez as curator and editor, the exhibition "Design the air" was open to the public until last June at the National Museum of Ceramics.
On 28 September, the catalogue of the travelling exhibition will be presented at Agora Valencia. The exhibition will visit other locations in order to review the history of the Valencian fan, projecting the future of the sector through the strategic combination of craftsmanship and design.
- Conference on the internationalization of design with Acción Cultural Española
Acción Cultural Española is collaborating with València World Design Capital 2022 by organising the conference "Internationalisation of design: how to make yourself known in the world". The session will be held on 29 September at 10:30 am at The Sea stage in the Veles e Vents Building in La Marina de València.
The conference will reflect on different aspects of AC/E's Mobility Programme, which aims to support the capacity of the cultural sector and its creative industries to operate internationally by promoting the circulation and mobility of works, productions, artists, creators, agents and cultural and creative professionals.
Renfe offers a special fare to visitors of the World Design Street Festival
Renfe Viajeros and World Design Capital Valencia 2022 have signed a collaboration agreement which makes the company the sole Official Transport for the events taking place in València, within the official program of the capital, between 19 and 25 September. Thanks to this agreement, all those who wish to attend any of the activities in the intense program of the World Design Street Festival and the Interior Design Forum will be able to travel to the city with a 10% discount on AVE (except Avlo trains) and Long Distance (Euromed, Alvia, and Intercity) tickets in any of the available options (Basic, Elige, Elige Confort, and Premium).
Travelers wishing to obtain the discount must download their "Discount Authorisation" from the Renfe website - valid from 17to 25 September - and purchase their tickets at authorized points of sale, stations, travel agencies, on the Internet or by telephone.
About World Design Capital Valencia 2022
Valencia is World Design Capital in 2022 after the biannual designation carried out by the renowned institution World Design Organisation. The city of Valencia and, by extension, the Valencian Community, is a land of creativity. The work of design, architecture, interior design or illustration professionals over the last hundred years demonstrates a design culture that extends throughout the whole territory.
The project, promoted by the Associació València Capital del Disseny and with the recently created Fundació del Disseny de la Comunitat Valenciana in charge of the legacy, is supported by the City Council of Valencia, Generalitat Valenciana, the Ministry of Sustainable Economy, Productive Sectors, Commerce and Labour, Valencian Institute of Business Competitiveness (IVACE), Diputació de València, Visit València, Feria Valencia, La Marina de València, the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), and Las Naves. In addition to having as promoter entities the Association of Designers of the Valencian Community (ADCV) and the Association of Interior Designers of the Valencian Community (CDICV).
It is an initiative that has gone beyond the local reach to become a project of national dimension and international projection with the support of three ministries: the Ministry of Science and Innovation; the Ministry of Culture and Sports and the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism; in addition to other institutions such as ICEX (Spain Export and Investments), Acción Cultural Española, the CEV Business Confederation, the Forum of Renowned Spanish Brands, the Arxiu Valencià del Disseny or the Conexus Foundation. Likewise, it has received the support of collaborating companies such as Actiu, AIDIMME, Andreu World, Cosentino, EMTRE (Entitat Metropolitana per al Tractament de Residus), Finsa, Fuente Primavera, Gandia Blasco Group, Grupo Torrecid, Inalco, Industrias Saludes, Instituto de Biomecánica de Valencia, La Imprenta, Logopost, LZF-Lamps, Padima, Point, Profiltek, Punt, Renfe (official transport service), Rolser, Tars, Tau Cerámica, Teika, Veles e Vents, Vondom, Wandegar and Zumex, as well as cultural spaces, educational entities and professional organizations such as READ (Spanish Network of Design Associations), CommunitAD, FAD (Foment de les Arts i del Disseny), ArtEnBlanc, Dimova, the Official Association of Advertising Professionals of the Valencian Community and the Regional Association of Architects of Valencia.
