The five-day festival is a celebration of art and design in Tijuana featuring more than 100 free events including exhibitions, showroom tours, interactive workshops, and presentations by international designers
San Diego (USA), May 1, 2024 – The World Design Festival powered by Tijuana Design Week will take place Wednesday, May 1 through Sunday, May 5, 2024. This five-day festival, presented by World Design Capital San Diego Tijuana 2024 (WDC 2024) and organized in partnership with Enigma Creative, will feature more than 100 events in 40 different venues, including conferences, workshops, exhibitions, showrooms, tours, and more. The central theme will be the “Expanded Present,” intertwining past, present, and future from the design.
“This is a week of free activities, thanks to the support of the design community and our partners, who are local and global brands. The activities will be held in galleries, museums, shops, showrooms, studios, restaurants, pop-ups, offices, and cultural centers,” said Laura E. Araujo, Chief International Affairs Officer of World Design Capital 2024. “This is a unique opportunity that we have in Tijuana so that the design of the future can be appreciated from here and that we leave a legacy to create a better planet.”
Highlights include:
Exhibitions such as Two-Fold Encounters by Temporary Office on display May 4-5 at CECUT, a 3-D topographical puzzle inspired by the landscapes and geographic diversity that unite San Diego and Tijuana. Light Up! by Alita Escobedo on display May 4-5 at CECUT, will transform the Vestíbulo de El Cubo with light, dance and music. Archaeology in Transit by the Tec of Monterrey on display May 5 at CECUT tells stories of migrants who face the challenges of the border crossing. How is technology designed in Latin America? On display May 5 at CECUT features projections of the participants of Planetary Frontlines to raise awareness and understanding of diversity, equity and inclusion. Tijuana Covers on display May 4-5 at CECUT celebrates six decades of musical production in Tijuana as featured in the book by Fritz Torres and Gerardo Molina following five years of research and over 50 interviews.
Experiences such as Storytelling Design Tour on May 3 from 1pm-5pm exploring design studios in Tijuana and the contrast between old and modern Tijuana, reflecting on the future of the city; Culinary Art School + Brecha Tour on May 3 from 12pm-2pm; a Community Celebration on May 3 at 7pm at the newly-opened Taco Museum; and the World Design Party on May 4 at 7pm featuring music by Tijuana artist Ceci Bastida for an unforgettable evening of music and design. Attendees can also enjoy a walking tour throughout the day on Thursday, May 2 to explore Baja’s art scene including stops in Brik 10, Xochicalco University,
Workshops such as Drag Person on May 3 from 7pm-11pm at Enclave, a collaborative workshop seeking to make drag more visible in Tijuana as a means of social design with a focus on gender and community connection; Character Design on May 4 from 10am-12pm at the Observatory, taught by Ismael Alejandro Moreno Ozuna; along with several dance workshops for adults and children.
Showrooms such as Miles & Louie, a Tijuana fashion brand that will also be debuting a new household collection during a special event on May 1 from 4pm-7pm; Monstera, handmade accessories that will be launching a limited-edition piece during the week; Lustre, a creative space for ceramic lovers; and Object, a curated collection of fashion and home accessories by Mexican designers.
Presentations from internationally-recognized architects and designers including Krzysztof Wodiczko, renowned for his large-scale slide and video projections of politically charged images on architectural façades and monuments worldwide.; Alejandro Magallanes, children’s book author and graduate of the Escuela Nacional de Artes Plásticas, who specializes in the creative fusion of letters and images; Lila Avilés, prominent Mexican director, screenwriter and producer; Jorge Gracia, award-winning architect and founder of graciastudio; Christopher Hawthorne, architecture critic, educator, filmmaker, and Senior Critic at Yale Architecture; and more.
The World Design Festival is one of seven signature events presented throughout the year by WDC 2024, the first cross-border designation in World Design Capital history. The next signature event will be the World Design Experience in San Diego, September 18-25, 2024.
For a full schedule of events and to register for workshops, tours and more visit www.tijuanadesignweek.com. For more information about WDC 2024, visit wdc2024.org.
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About World Design Capital San Diego Tijuana 2024
The World Design Capital® (WDC) is designated every two years by the World Design Organization® (WDO) to recognize a city’s innovative and effective use of design to strengthen economic, social, cultural and environmental development. Through a year-long program of design-related events, WDC provides a platform to showcase best practices in design-led policy and innovation, increase civic engagement, and attract business and tourism. The selection of the San Diego Tijuana joint bid makes it the first cross-border World Design Capital in history. While the designation is for both cities as one connected community, San Diego is the first U.S. city ever to receive the designation. Tijuana is the second city in Mexico to hold the title, following Mexico City in 2018. WDC 2024 will host a series of events, exhibitions and summits including six signature events and supporting over 300 public events and initiatives that address the region’s most pressing challenges through design, and create a unified force for regional transformation. The region’s winning bid reflects the collective efforts of founding partners UC San Diego Design Lab, Design Forward Alliance, Burnham Center for Community Advancement, City of San Diego and City of Tijuana, and numerous community supporters. More information about World Design Capital San Diego Tijuana 2024 is available at wdc2024.org.
