Barcelona Design Week 2026

The 21st edition of Barcelona Design Week (BDW) will take place from October 14 to 25, 2026, across a variety of venues throughout Barcelona, Spain. Organized by the Barcelona Design Centre, the festival brings together designers, creative professionals, brands, institutions, students, and design enthusiasts to explore new ideas and emerging approaches across the design sector.

The 2026 edition is centered around the theme “PRO-TEST,” highlighting the importance of prototyping, experimentation, testing, and hands-on creative processes. The theme explores how making, questioning, and testing ideas can lead to meaningful innovation and transformative solutions in design and beyond.

A major highlight is Underground BDW, taking place from October 22 to 24, 2026, at the Parking Gallery by LCI Barcelona. The experimental showcase will present unconventional designs, sustainable prototypes, and selected projects from the Next Gen Design competition, offering a platform for emerging designers to present experimental and forward-thinking ideas.

The program also includes Next Gen Design Edu Talks on October 22 at the Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia, featuring discussions on alternative approaches to design, validation, food systems, and innovation. Meanwhile, OFF BDW brings independent exhibitions, workshops, open studios, and product presentations to creative spaces throughout Barcelona.

Special exhibitions further expand the festival’s multidisciplinary program, including “The Weight of Things” by French artist Mathilde Pellé at the French Institute of Barcelona.

Through its combination of experimentation, sustainability, education, innovation, and creative exchange, Barcelona Design Week 2026 offers a dynamic platform for exploring how design can challenge established ideas, test new possibilities, and contribute to a more innovative and sustainable future.