Thanks to the foresight of its founders – Emilio Cabrero, Andrea Cesarman, Marco Coello and Jaime Hernandez –, Design Week Mexico, first organized in 2009, has transformed Mexico City into a hotbed of creativity. Over the years, it has become the country’s most important event dedicated to design and design culture, attracting over 15 million visitors and featuring international exhibitions, residency programs for emerging designers and the participation of 2,447 architects and firms.
This 10th edition of Design Week Mexico comes at a memorable time for the city, which this year was designated as the 2018 World Design Capital (WDC), the first destination in the Americas where the use of design for economic, social and cultural development has been recognized. This platform has grown to become a global symbol of innovation and this year Mexico Creative Territory is promoting the vanguard of Mexican architects with the ArchDays CDMX initiative devoted to Good Design, an element that is key to shaping our society. With its busy program of exhibitions, performances and conferences, which, from 10 to 14 October, will involve the major institutions of Mexico City, as part of the WDC initiative (whose events finish at the end of November), Design Week will highlight the role of the designer and the constant urban development challenge to create more livable, sustainable cities.
One of the main events will be the “Oscar Hagerman” exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art (10-21 October), featuring a selection of architecture created in Mexico with local materials characterized by a flexible design. “Proyecto Tamayo DWM” (10 October – March 2019), South America’s Serpentine Gallery, selected architect Fernanda Canales to create installations and temporary structures in the gardens of the Museo Tamayo, while for the INEDITO event (10-21 October), the rooms are transformed into a platform dedicated to new creativity with works by 76 design firms. Staged for the first time at the National Museum of Anthropology, “Vision and Tradition” (10-14 October) – a residency program for young Mexican talents – exhibits work by national and international designers who have collaborated with local artisans, exploring the dialogue between tradition and contemporary life. “Creativity and Change” is the title of the design thinking forum organized on 12 October in the same museum, a dialogue focused on the dynamic relationship between design, education, innovation and sustainability supported by the project’s leading figures: Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby of Barber & Osgerby, Dror of Stuido Dror, Borja Ferrater of OAB, Mario Cucinella, Fernanda Canales, Peter Ruge Architecten, Bodo Sperlein, José Francisco García of IED City Lab and Julian Ellerby of Radical Matter.
Like every year, the Torre de Reloj art gallery in Lincoln Park contains an exhibition dedicated to architecture, art and design. For this edition, visitors will be welcomed by a light exhibition presented by Barcelona City Council (13-21 October). New projects by 140 design leaders from around the world – from furniture to home accessories, fashion, jewellery design, finishes and publishing – will be on show at Expo DW from 12 to 14 October and on the Ruta del Diseño (13-14 October), a fascinating tour of the showrooms and galleries in the Miguel Hidalgo (Polanco and Lomas de Chapultepec), San Miguel Chapultepec and Roma districts to discover the trends embraced by the most important interior brands. Additionally, throughout the weekend, the Diseño Contenido outdoor fair in Lincoln Park will showcase the works of emerging Mexican designers in 20 containers transformed for the occasion into stylish pop-up stores, offering a fascinating insight into the contemporary life that animates Mexico City and its creative soul.
Mexico City
Design Week Mexico: 10-14 October 2018 (www.designweekmexico.com; www.archdayscdmx.com)
CDMX World Design Capital: until the end of November (www.wdccdmx2018.com)
Events
Vision and Tradition – National Museum of Anthropology
10-14 October
Proyecto Tamayo DWM
10 October 2018 – March 2019
INEDITO – Tamayo Contemporary Art Museum
10-21 October
“Oscar Hagerman” – Museum of Modern Art
10-21 October 2018
DWM Documentary films – Cinepolis Diana (Arf film theatre)
11-13 October
Creativity & Change (Foro Arch Days) – Anthropology Museum
12 October
Design House – Monte Líbano 930, Lomas de Chapultepec
12-28 October
Expo DW, Expo Reforma
12-14 October
Ruta del Diseño, Polanco / Lomas
13-14 October
Diseño Contenido and Ephemeral Structures, Lincoln Park (Polanco)
13-14 October
Territorio Urbano, San Miguel Chapultepec / San Rafael / Santa María la Ribera / Roma – Condesa
13-14 October
Expo Torre de Reloj, Lincoln Park (Polanco)
13-21 October
