The long-awaited World Design Capital (WDC) event in San Diego and Tijuana has finally arrived. Taking place from Wednesday to Sunday, May 1 to 5, the two cities will host a series of festivals, events and exhibitions showcasing design.
The World Design Festival is organized by Tijuana Design Week and invites visitors from both border cities, along with international visitors, to experience Tijuana design through lectures, exhibitions, public design workshops and design studio open houses. According to the event organizers, the event “encompasses all dimensions of time to open a space for reflection on the history, identity and future of the city, the binational region and the global environment”. Registration is free for events on the website.
We’ve highlighted some of the best deals from the event below, but be sure to check out the full list of activities here.
2024 World Design Festival Events – Day 1
BOSQUE Exhibition
This FOREST installation, created by Fernanda Uribe, is more than an enchanted garden. It aims to be an immersive design experience where sculpture and functional design mix with handmade miniature ceramic sculptures of imaginary plants, flowers, fungi and insects.
Date: Wednesday, May 1st
Time: 11am to 6pm
Location: Observatory | Av Constitución 1337, Zona Centro, 22000 Tijuana
Adult and adult ballet open to the community
This ballet workshop for adults gives anyone the opportunity to experience ballet as a tool for body expression.
Date: Wednesday, May 1st
Time: 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm
Location: Dance Conservatory Mexico | 11 years old Plutarco Elías Calles 9137, Zonaeste, 22000 Tijuana
2024 World Design Festival Events – Day 2
Design workshop: Recycling Community Days
This event is part of the “Alamar Creek Pollution Prevention” initiative and gives participants the opportunity to explore waste management solutions. The suggestions collected at the end will inform future community strategies.
Date: Thursday, May 2nd
Time: 9:00 am to 11:00 am
Location: CETYS University | Av. Cetys Universidad.4, El Lago, 22217 Tijuana
Taller Compa Citizen narrative laboratory through typography
This Citizen Narrative Laboratory comes from TMX – Tipografia México. It was developed in Mexicali and Calexico in 2023 by Héctor Ruíz, a Mexicali student of the MFA Design for Social Innovation SVA. The exhibition showcases cross-border languages and identities.
Date: Thursday, May 2nd
Time: 11:00 am to 2:00 pm
Location: Free School of Architecture | C. Coahuila 8206-int. 203, Zona Norte, 22000 Tijuana
No Cuerpo and the creation of a digital archive on design, art and culture in the SDTJ border region
This event features No Cuerpo, a digital platform focused on creating art, entrepreneurship and social reality content that is displayed in design, audiovisual and written formats. The platform showcases local talent and creates connections.
Date: Thursday, May 2nd
Time: 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm
Location: Observatory | Av Constitución 1337, Zona Centro, 22000 Tijuana
Vero Glezqui: Temporalities of a sanctuary
“Temporalities of a Sanctuary” deals with nature from different angles – like observing it through a cosmic lens. You’ll see paintings, drawings and more that combine the real world with the abstract.
Date: Thursday, May 2nd
Time: 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm
Location: House of Culture | Av. Paris e, C. Lisboa 5, Centro, 22054 Tijuana
FADINGS x Spel Uno
Enter the world of “FADINGS” and see how art can bridge the gap between the digital and the physical. It’s like a journey through murals, paintings and even furniture, all matching perfectly.
Date: Thursday, May 2nd
Time: 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Location: Julep Coffee | Av. Mutualismo 1233, Zona Centro, 22055 Tijuana
Pop-up: The human and his caves: interpretations of the human moving through time
This experience explores the concept of migration through art. The goal is to be a mix of different creative minds sharing their ideas, just like people used to share along the coast before borders existed.
Date: Thursday, May 2nd
Time: 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Location: Bhumi Restaurant | Governor Ibarra 9510, Davila, 22040 Tijuana
2024 World Design Festival Events – Day 3
Andrea Carrillo / CreativeMornings Tijuana
Start the morning with some inspiration. CreativeMornings Tijuana presents Andrea Carrillo Iglesias, an artist with a talent for design. Get ready to learn how design shapes our world.
Date: Friday, May 3
Time: 8:30 am to 10:00 am
Location: Creative Puzzle | Av. Juan Sarabia 208-Local 2, Zona Centro, 22000 Tijuana
Krzysztof Wodiczko (guide tour)
Meet Krzysztof Wodiczko, a master of large-scale projections onto buildings, whose work has focused on marginalized and displaced urban dwellers. His work unites communities and gives a voice to those who are often not heard.
Date: Friday, May 3
Time: 11:00 am to 1:00 pm
Location: CECUT Video room | P.º de los Héroes 9350, Rio Tijuana Urban Zone
Experiences without borders: the talk
This event explores the future of design in a digital world. Scott Robinson takes participants on a journey through experience design where limits are a thing of the past. Get ready to think outside the box.
Date: Friday, May 3
Time: 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm
Location: Free School of Architecture | C. Coahuila 8206-int. 203, Zona Norte, 22000 Tijuana
Persona Drag Codiseño Workshop
This workshop is about drag in Tijuana and will explore gender and design. Of course, with live performances and the opportunity to watch a show.
Date: Friday, May 3
Time: 7:00 pm to 11:00 pm
Location: Enclave | C. Primera 8250, Nnte zone. 220,000 Tijuana
2024 World Design Festival Events – Day 4
Jorge Gutiérrez and Sandra Equihua
Sandra Equihua and Jorge R. Gutiérrez are known as the dynamic duo behind favorite animated series including El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera, El Tigre, The Book of Life, Son of the JaguarIt is Maya and the Three. They will share their journey from Tijuana to global recognition and you will leave inspired.
Date: Saturday, May 4th
Time: 9:00 am to 10:00 am
Location: CECUT – Carlos Monsivais Room | Avenue. Independence, Urban Zone Rio Tijuana
AIGA Signs Symbol / Meaningful Symbols of AIGA
Susan Merritt takes participants on a journey through the history of design. You’ll explore the iconic AIGA symbols and learn how they shaped transportation and communication.
Date: Saturday, May 4th
Time: 11:00 am to 12:00 pm
Location: CECUT – Federico Campbell Room
Yee Foo: Double Dates
Come and meet Yee Foo Lai and discover its world of design. Foo Lai co-founded Temporary Office, a multidisciplinary design collaboration and is a project designer at Trahan Architects and will share his journey from Singapore to New York.
Date: Saturday, May 4th
Time: 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Location: CECUT – Video room
