Design Shanghai 2025
The 12th edition of Design Shanghai will explore the theme of ‘design for humanity’. Featuring leading brands from over 30-countries and spotlighting over 600 curated design pieces. The events will take place between June 4th-7th at the World Expo Exhibition Center.
“Over the past 12 years, Design Shanghai has grown while remaining youthful at heart, consistently embracing ever-evolving challenges with unwavering commitment. At the same time, we stay true to our original mission of being a bridge for East-West design exchange,” writes Zhuo Tan, Event Director for Design Shanghai. The event has grown steadily over the past decade, to become a leading voice for contemporary design and emerging trends in the industry. It will highlight over 600 curated design pieces throughout its four sections. “This year, we will place greater emphasis on human-centred design, making the exhibition more personal and meaningful, and exploring—and perhaps even reaching a consensus on—a fundamental question: Through design, where are we heading, and how should we act? We look forward to a truly memorable gathering this June,” continues Tan.
Section 1: Furniture & Lighting, and Section 2: Kitchen, Bathroom & Systems Design, will include the latest collections from leading brands such as Bulo, Formitalia, RS Barcelona, Vitra, Lalique, Miyazaki Chair Factory, and NEKOSpACE. The Spanish Institute for Foreign Trade (ICEX) will present a top selection of Spanish design, including LFZ Lamps, Porcelenosa, and Viccarbe. Section 3 is devoted to New Materials & Applications and will highlight sustainable innovations with leading brands such as Mapei, Burgeree, Spralding and Ultrasuede®, while there will also be a special presentation of Italian designers Florim, SICIS and Tecnografica. Section 4 will be dedicated to Living and Lifestyle Design, highlighting craftsmanship and luxury design brands focused on high-end porcelain, glassware, tabletop and home accessories. The TALENTS section, which since its launch in 2020, has been curated by Frank Chou, brings to the forefront the growing strength of young designers. This year, 25- emerging designers will present work that links to the theme: “Confronting Conflict,” a pressing issue in today’s times. In addition, Design Shanghai TALENTS will welcome Chen Min, designer and entrepreneur, and his curated neooold project that places value on an integration of art, craft and design by showcasing China’s rich history with handicrafts and materials. Another highlight of the TALENTS section will be a Beyond Craft Japan, a deep dive into the beauty of Japanese design and craft.
This year’s edition will feature two new programmes: Made in JDZ, (Justice, Diverse, Zone) curated by designer Ryan Ran, which brings together a selection of crafts including ceramics, metalwork and lacquer art. It seeks to explore the intersection of design through five sections: the Brand Zone, Craft Compass, Three Themed Houses, the Future Craft Store and the Jingdense forum. The other new programme is Collectible Design & Art, a concurrent exhibition and design fair that will spotlight craftsmanship from Jingdezhen and limited-edition design.
Along with the comprehensive brand presentations and exhibitions, the 2025 edition of Design Shanghai will include three speaker conferences: The Global Design Conference, with the theme ‘Design for Humanity,’ the CMF Conference and Design for Wellbeing conference. Some of the interesting participants are: Craig Miller, Partner and Project Leader, Heatherwick Studio; Changrui FU, Associate Partner, MAD; Paul Priestman, Chairman and Creative Director, PULI innovation; Robert Greenwood, Partner, Director for Asia Pacific, Snøhetta; Ole Scheeren, Chief designer, Buro Ole Scheeren; Satoshi Ohashi, Director (China), Zaha Hadid Architects.
Design Shanghai takes place at the World Expo Exhibition Center in Shanghai and is expected to welcome more than 80,000 professional visitors this year. Its 12th edition marks an important moment in its history, marking the impact of its events and the connections made, along with the growing strength of China’s design industry. For more information:
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