San Diego Design Week (SDDW)

San Diego Design Week is Design Forward Alliance’s flagship program: an annual celebration that brings our mission to life across the region.

Through exhibitions, talks, workshops, studio tours, performances, and hands-on experiences, Design Week connects the public with the people and ideas shaping the world around us.

Explore San Diego Design Week →


World Design Experience 2024

San Diego Tijuana is the first cross-border region to be designated World Design Capital® (WDC) and the first time a U.S. city has been selected. San Diego and Tijuana were selected as the World Design Capital because of our unique history, rich and diverse design community, commitment to cross-border collaboration, and all the unique opportunities that exist in our shared community.

WDC 2024


Design for Clean Water

DFA partnered with Project Clean Water and I Love A Clean San Diego to design for sustainability in the Design for Clean Water: Stormwater Pollution Challenge. The design competition invited teams to propose innovative and sustainable solutions to mitigate stormwater pollution and improve water quality in San Diego. The competition provided $2,000 microgrants, presented by BluPeak Credit Union, to up to five teams to develop and prototype their ideas.


Design Ambassadors

DFA's Design Ambassador program assembles local design leaders to promote, advocate and connect the broader design community. Participants meet quarterly to share, brainstorm and discuss issues and opportunities for designing for impact.