The 8th annual creative design festival, BKKDW2025 wrapped up with significant impact. Held from 8 - 23 February 2025 by the Creative Economy Agency (Public Organization), or CEA, or Thailand, in partnership with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration and a wide network of collaborators, the festival, themed “Design Up+Rising: Facing Challenges with a Positive Twist” empowered city advancement through design. Over 16 days, it attracted over 618,411 visitors and injected over 1,956.8 million baht into Bangkok’s economy.
As one of the four creative festivals organized by the CEA, Bangkok Design Week is held consecutively each year. It serves as a platform to drive urban development, enhance the quality of life for people and society, and support the growth of the creative economy at the district level. It also contributes to positioning Bangkok as a member of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) under the Design category (UCCN - Bangkok City of Design), a designation it received in 2019.
Let’s Rise Up for an Up+Rising in Design!
BKKDW2025 was organized under the theme “Design Up+Rising: Facing Challenges with a Positive Twist”, with a focus on 5 dimensions of positive design possibilities: Optimism: Designing with Positive Mindset; Cross-disciplinarity: Designing by Connecting Other Disciplines; Positive Force: Designing to Face Every Challenge; Disruption: Designing Beyond Conventions; and Power of Design: Designing with Purpose.
For this year, the festival extended its duration to a record-breaking 16 days. It showcased over 564 programs, encompassing a wide range of formats including exhibitions, talks, workshops, events, music and performances, tours, creative markets, and promotions. These activities were spread across 7 key creative districts: Charoenkrung - Talat Noi, Yaowarat - Song Wat, Pak Khlong Talat, Phra Nakhon, Bang Lamphu - Khao San, Hua Lamphong, Bang Pho, and more than 170 other venues throughout Bangkok.
Let’s Explore the Success of BKKDW2025, Which Transforms Bangkok Through the Positive Power of Design!
1. Success in Festival Visitors
BKKDW2025 has achieved significant success in terms of visitors. Over the 16-day period, more than 618,411 people visited. This reflects the growing interest in the festival, with an increase yearly.
2. Success in Generating Economic Value for Bangkok
The extended duration of the festival has allowed it to generate over 1,956.8 million baht in economic value for Bangkok! This reflects the potential and success of the festival in effectively and tangibly driving Bangkok’s creative economy.
3. Success in Fostering Creative Collaboration
BKKDW2025 served as a platform for building collaborative networks among creators, entrepreneurs, and public and private sectors, both domestically and internationally. With participants from 14 countries and 19 projects, totaling 1,875 individuals, the festival facilitated the transformation of Bangkok into a livable city for all through the power of design. This was achieved through various activities held across different districts in Bangkok.
4. Success in Enhancing Creative Districts in All Dimensions
The festival this year did not only contribute to improving the quality of life for people and society but also provided opportunities for creative businesses at the district level. Examples include design showcases in the Yaowarat - Song Wat district, which helped build branding and foster new businesses; fashion exhibitions that revitalized the Bang Lamphu area; flower and art activities in the Pak Khlong Talat district that stimulated the local economy; events in the Bang Pho district that transformed its image into a learning hub for architecture and woodworking design in Bangkok; and numerous other activities that promoted growth in all dimensions of the city. These initiatives demonstrated “what design can do for a city” and fostered connections between people and the city.
5. Success in Creating Opportunities for Creative Businesses in Community
BKKDW2025 served as a platform connecting designers, entrepreneurs, and communities, fostering idea development and business opportunities through creative projects and activities. Examples include: Made in Phranakorn, a project that paired designers with owners of 5 renowned traditional shops in the Phra Nakhon district to modernize their products for current market demands; NEIGHBOURMART Bangkok: A “department store” showcasing local products from various districts, enhancing their value through design and storytelling; and Everything Sampeng: a revitalization of the Sampheng market, featuring innovative retail spaces like conveyor belt shops and gachapon machines to attract modern consumers.
6. Success in Transforming Urban Limitations into Spaces for Everyone
Urban space allocation and challenges and limitations are inseparable. This year’s festival served as an experimental ground for designers to enhance urban living quality. Projects included: Playground, the alleyways in Yaowarat - Song Wat were transformed into activity spaces for everyone MinutePocket_UrbanBed, the private urban spaces converted into public rest areas, providing relaxation spots for city dwellers; and Songthaew Evolve Design Solution Exhibition, songthaews (shared taxis) designed to navigate narrow urban spaces comfortably and passenger-friendly.
7. Success in Revitalizing the City with Eco-Friendly Design
Sustainable urban development prioritizes environmental considerations. This festival served as a platform for projects that minimize environmental impact. Examples include: Street Vendor Grease Trap, a portable grease trap for food carts that also acts as a wheel stopper and grease filter, reducing drain clogs; Mega Mat, the mat made from 100% recycled plastic, creating 875 meters of seating for Bangkok residents that can be recycled after the festival; and “1+1=3” Collaborative Sustainability for Multiple Impact, a creative project that transforms waste materials into musical instruments, created by a collaboration between businesses and communities.
8. Success in Sustainably Sharing the Positive Power of Design with the City and Its People
BKKDW2025 has proven that design is not merely about aesthetics; it can drive development that enhances people’s quality of life in economic, social, and environmental aspects. It also helps propel creative districts forward and transforms Bangkok into a more livable city for everyone, sustainably across all dimensions.
Although BKKDW2025 has ended, the creative districts and other areas throughout Bangkok will continue to build upon the projects and collaborations initiated, aiming to improve the quality of life for people and society. The festival marks the beginning and milestone of long-term change, paving the way for an even grander Bangkok Design Week 2026 next year!
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