From 21st to 25th May 2025 Genova will open its doors to designers, creatives, and design enthusiasts thanks to the sixth edition of Genova Design Week.
Organised by Dide – Distretto del Design di Genova, the event is ready to transform the city into a pulsating laboratory of innovation and beauty, through the organisation of widespread events, immersive installations, talks, and special guests.
The central theme of Genoa Design Week 2025 will be Matter, understood not only as a building element, but as the starting point of design; the medium through which designers tell stories, experiment new solutions, and create objects that arouse emotions and transform spaces. From interactive surfaces to bio-based materials, from 3D printing to reactive fabrics, matter becomes the protagonist of a new way of thinking about design, capable of responding to the challenges of the present with creativity, innovation and ecological awareness.
Among the events not to be missed will be Mani e Materia – Il Design Inconsueto (Hands and Matter – Unusual Design), curated by Miria Uras, will explore the secret life of objects and the deep connection between matter and creation, telling the stories behind each handmade piece.
2025 will be the second consecutive year for Container 02, an original installation composed of 12 interior-design scenarios, each set inside a container. It is an articulated path conceived by architect Massimiliano Dalle Sasse, founder of DLA Design Lab, and curated by Simona Finessi, director of the international magazine Platform architecture and design, with an expanded format and a new strategic location, the Porto Antico. The initiative invites the 21 designers to reinterpret the concept of ‘mobile container’ as an expression of their design vision, transforming each module into a manifesto of creativity and innovation.
After the success of last year’s edition, the Outdoor without Borders project returns: a new vision of outdoor space curated by Marta Carraro (Studio caarpa). During Design Week, Studio caarpa will reinterpret these themes through two installations located in two of the city’s main hubs: Piazza San Lorenzo, the square in front of Genoa Cathedral, where the main stage will be set up and events will take place throughout the week; the courtyard of Palazzo Marc’ Antonio Sauli, in Via San Bernardo 19, which will host various conferences.
Now in its third edition, the Call Design Under 35 – Creative Flows, curated by Laura Palazzini and sponsored by the University of Genoa – Department of Architecture and Design and by ADI Liguria, will be one of the central elements of the event: the selected projects will give life to a circular path in the heart of the District, enhancing young and multiform creativity.
The great novelty of 2025 will be the Best Houses Design Selection exhibition that, with a selection of no less than 80 projects from all over Italy, will be an extraordinary snapshot of contemporary living, through a selection of single-family houses ranging from highly prestigious villas to small home renovations. The guiding thread of the initiative will be design quality, which transcends budget and commission, demonstrating how architectural excellence can emerge in any context.
The exhibition, curated by Platform architecture and design, will be hosted in the prestigious Palazzo della Vecchia Borsa in Genoa and will be enriched by a series of meetings and speeches with the authors of the projects. The exhibition has been designed by Studio Superluna, founded by Luca Sartori and Marco Bonfatti Paini.
After the success of the first edition, the Design Talk Festival is renewed in 2025 with a programme full of unmissable meetings and events. It will kick off on 21st May with the presence of Massimiliano Adiansi, an architect and the founder of Architettor, a famous Instagram account that with irony and intelligence recounts the world of architecture, bringing reflections and critical insights on the role of design in contemporary society. On 22 May a multi-voice dialogue on participatory design and shared responsibility will take place with Luigi Priano, partner
and member of the board; Raffaella Parodi, associate architect with solid international experience; and Gabriel Fagundes, architect of the firm. On May 23rd, it will be the turn of Mario Cucinella, pioneer of sustainable architecture. Through the story of his numerous international projects, Cucinella will show how architecture can become an instrument of change for our future, with a focus on the relationship between design, environment and community.
For more information visit www.didegenova.it.
