The city offers a perfect blend of historic and modern architecture, inserted in a natural way in an orderly, creative urban context. Valencia has always been a symbol of creativity. Over the last century, thanks to the constant, original work of professional designers, architects, interior designer and illustrators, the city has developed a truly unique design culture that has spread through the entire region. The city is also a place of traditional ceramics, toys and graphic arts: many exceptional designers have received their training in this local context.
The themes selected by Valencia for its year as world design capital range from health to wellness, by way of local crafts, economic innovation, safeguarding of artistic heritage and awareness of identity, inclusion and sustainability. Valencian design – according to the organizers – works to build a better world, starting with healthcare and social initiatives. The calendar is packed with events: over 100 exhibitions, encounters and presentations on design, involving many famous international guests, along with 65 educational projects.
The symbolic sites of design in Valencia
The symbolic locations in Valencia during its term as world design capital 2022 are many. The focal point is the City of Arts and Sciences designed by the architects Santiago Calatrava and Félix Candela, with its avant-garde architecture that brings together very modern buildings with bizarre forms with facilities for education in the sciences and the arts. There are modernist gems like the Colón Market, and unique green spaces like the Turia Garden and the Central Park.
The city’s vibrant cultural life can also be enjoyed in museums and galleries focusing on Valencian Luminism. The sense of creativity comes alive whenever one walks through the iconic districts of Carmen, Russafa or El Cabanyal, with the façades of buildings and cultural spaces that reflect the city’s vivid and recognizable spirit, driven by the area’s main crafts sectors such as ceramics and silk.
Valencia, however, is also about food, and the design of the restaurants and cafés goes perfectly with the local examples of culinary excellence: flavors that combine sea and land, like the famous paella.
The program of Valencia World Design Capital 2022
The city of Valencia has organized a very interesting, variegated program to celebrate its turn as world design capital in 2022. The calendar started in January and will continue until December. The most important appointments will be the Fallas in March and April, Cevisama in June and the big Valencia Disseny Week, held in September in coordination with the fair Hábitat Valencia: a unique moment that connects design and innovation in an entertaining way.
Cevisama
Cevisama is an event with 38 years of history. An exhibition of ceramic tiles, bath furnishings and the stone industries. The display space is in the Valencia Fair, which with its 231,000 sqm of indoor facilities is one of the top ten in the world for this type of initiative. Besides the exhibition, there will be parallel events, including happenings around the city. The dates are now from 13 to 17 June 2022.
Fallas de Valencia
The Fallas de Valencia takes place from 1 to 19 March 2022. It is a traditional celebration that combines urban sculpture, entertainment, satire and art, attracting tourists from all over the world. It has been inserted in the listings of  Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Hábitat Valencia trade fair
The Hábitat Valencia fair is an immense exhibition on decorations, accessories and lighting from around the world. It is held from 20 to 23 September 2022 in the spaces of the Valencia Fair.
World Design Street Festival
From 19 to 25 September, Valencia celebrates its selection as the World Design Capital. Starting from the old riverbed, the festival will expand through the city center with a focus on creativity and visibility for design professionals, with exhibitions, creative and culinary itineraries.
