Set in an arid landscape between mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west, San Diego and Tijuana are home to world-changing design and innovation – but the region’s full design story has yet to be told. For more than 100 years, the cities have leveraged the unique resources and features of their natural environment to foster cutting-edge technologies and pioneering public experiments in the arenas of science, manufacturing, arts and culture.

It was as a result of this commitment of human-centred design and legacy of cross-border collaboration that San Diego and Tijuana were named World Design Capital 2024 – the first binational designation in WDC programme history.

Situated adjacent to the busiest land border in the Western Hemisphere, with over 150,000 pedestrians and passenger vehicles crossing daily, San Diego and Tijuana are committed to harnessing and mobilizing design to transform their region of 7.1 million inhabitants with a programme that tells the story of the region’s interconnected design ecosystem. From green infrastructure and environmental preservation to design education and industry innovation, the region will work to champion design towards transformational projects on both sides of the border throughout 2024 and beyond.