This year, Gdynia Design Days’ (22-30 June) theme is Gdynia-Zdrój (Gdynia spa town). Inviting visitors to experience a modern resort designed to address current challenges, Gdynia-Zdrój serves as a place for personal, communal, and planetary rejuvenation, redefining renewal and regeneration across economic, environmental, social, and individual dimensions.
Gdynia Design Days, a prominent Baltic design festival, serves as a dynamic platform for exploring a broad spectrum of design-related themes, including technology, ecology, fashion, architecture, and craftsmanship through exhibitions, workshops, lectures, and discussions. This year’s program features 18 diverse exhibitions, curator-led tours, and numerous engaging events accessible throughout the festival. It explores themes like sustainability, and the intersection of people, nature, and technology, all examined through the lenses of design.
Empowering the Innovators of Tomorrow
At its core, Gdynia Design Days is committed to nurturing and empowering young innovators and designers. Its mission is to foster the next generation of creative minds by actively listening to, and guiding, their ideas and aspirations. One such initiative is FIRST STEPS, a 2-day workshop facilitated by Beata Bochińska, Malwina Regina, Agnieszka Starzyńska-Krawczyk, and Agnieszka Schroeder. The workshop is tailored for individuals venturing into establishing a design brand and is ideal for those at the outset of their design careers, offering practical guidance and skill enhancement opportunities. Whether participants are looking to initiate their journey or expand their current skill set, FIRST STEPS equips them with the essential tools and insights necessary for advancing in the field of design. Among the festival’s highlights is also the “New Generation“ exhibition, curated by Agata Kiedrowicz. This exhibition showcases innovative projects by young designers who redefine regeneration through design. Selected from top institutions across Poland, these projects offer fresh perspectives on societal and environmental challenges. The exhibition invites dialogue and reflection, aiming to resonate with the creative community and explore contemporary trends in social, aesthetic, and cultural contexts.
Another notable exhibition showcasing young designers is “The Sea of Ideas“ curated by Sonia Jarczyk and Dr. Filip Ludka, featuring experimental furniture designs from the Academy of Fine Arts in Gdańsk. The exhibition highlights sustainable practices and the creative use of recycled materials, underscoring students’ commitment to responsible design and innovation in furniture aesthetics and functionality. Last but not least, the festival will be home to the results of the 13th edition of the “Elle Decoration – Young to Start“ competition, themed “from-NEW” this year. The exhibition showcases the winners designs, focusing on environmental protection, technological advancements, and sustainable resource management. The aim is to avoid past mistakes, reflecting on design expressions that champion a better future.
Design for People (with) and Technology
Gdynia-Zdrój seeks to create a space for reconciling human relationships and reshaping perspectives by inviting discussions on virtual reality and AI amidst growing concerns over their potential risks. The festival’s approach aims to harmonise interactions between analog and digital realms, presenting AI as a complement to non-digital experiences. “All of Us the Different!“, curated by Agnieszka Stanasiuk, celebrates diversity through a thought-provoking exhibition that challenges viewers to explore different perspectives and lifestyles. Organised by the Bochiński Foundation, this exhibition showcases a vibrant visual tapestry of objects removed from their original contexts, prompting reflection on how these diverse elements can foster understanding or cause chaos in contemporary society. It engages with pressing issues such as migration crises, abortion rights, non-heteronormativity, free speech, and democracy.
Concurrently, “Unleashed Cooperation: About collaborative AI,” curated by Edyta Sadowska, delves into the evolving narrative of human-AI collaboration, weaving together stories that range from dystopian warnings to practical examples of cooperative efforts. The exhibition encourages visitors to rethink conventional frameworks and embrace new perspectives on the future of AI integration.
Also featured is “Filter Bubble“, curated by Ewelina Antonowicz and Eliza Gawrjołek, which invites critical reflection on how algorithms and social media shape our worldview. Through interactive elements, the exhibition encourages visitors to break free from information bubbles, fostering a more informed and sustainable approach to decision-making.
Focusing on the relationship between people and technology, an exhibition curated by Dominika Janicka, explores the intriguing concept of reimagining Tinder as urban furniture. Titled “What would Tinder look like if it were urban furniture?“, it draws inspiration from spa town communities to demonstrate how their social dynamics can enrich face-to-face interactions, particularly benefitting older adults. The exhibition delves into the shift from digital to personal engagement, highlighting spa etiquette and the significance of offline interactions in nurturing relationships and social bonds among seniors.
Last but not least, a concept curated by Monika Dołbniak called the “Mobile Resort” aims to meet the growing need for relaxation in both body and mind by exploring the idea of creating spa-like experiences in unconventional settings such as homes, parks, or even during travel. Monika Dołbniak’s installation encourages visitors to engage in activities like napping, meditation, music listening, and reading, enhancing the sensory connection between body and environment. Through this multisensory approach, it promotes mindfulness and deep relaxation, offering tools for individuals to cultivate their own methods of relaxation.
These exhibitions collectively highlight the festival’s commitment to exploring diverse narratives, fostering sustainable practices, and engaging with critical issues shaping our contemporary world.
Circular Solutions, Climate, and Nature
Gdynia Design Days epitomises its commitment to sustainability, circular solutions, climate change awareness, and nature preservation through a variety of exhibitions and initiatives. This year is no different. “The Clothed Home. Tuning In to the Seasonal Imagination,“ an exhibition curated by Alicja Bielawska and Aleksandra Kędziorek, explores how historical textile traditions in home interiors fostered sensitivity to natural rhythms, offering insights into mindful responses to contemporary climate challenges. Additionally, a workshop on natural dyeing, led by Julia Kromolicka, revives eco-friendly dyeing practices using plant-derived pigments like birch leaves and marigold flowers, promoting sustainable design methods.
“~ enough | enough. sufficient. adequate. ample”, curated by Paulina Rogalska and Kamila Szatanowska, addresses the carbon footprint in construction and advocates for sustainable building practices. It emphasises life cycle analysis and the use of eco-friendly materials that support circular economies, showcasing practical examples from the 3X0 – OUT OF OFFICE team.
“Close to Earth. Sustainable design stories“, curated by Karolina Ferenc, Malwina Gruszecka, and Maja Skibińska, explores soil’s vital role in mitigating climate change and its applications in sustainable design across landscape architecture and industrial design.
The curators of the MANUBA collection, Marta Borkowska and Martyna Golik, also pay homage to nature. Inspired by the Slavic Kupala Night, a celebration of the summer solstice, they aim to infuse the MANUBA collection with magic, mysticism, and the celebration of nature in full bloom, incorporating beeswax or clay design as their material.
These exhibitions and activities not only celebrate cultural and design heritage but also propel forward-thinking solutions to global environmental challenges. They invite participants to engage deeply with sustainable practices and innovative design concepts.
Gdynia is a Place Worth Discovering: Save the Date
The festival also celebrates its home city. Several events in the program are aimed at encouraging visitor to explore Gdynia. A lecture and walk around the city, themed “City Center Bath – Gdynia Essence: Understanding and Impact“, led by Monika Zawadzka, explores the urban dynamics shaping Gdynia’s city center and its implications for residents, entrepreneurs, and tourists. This discussion aims to uncover local architectural influences and propose urban strategies that enhance Gdynia’s unique essence.
“Gdynia from the Wild Side: A Micro-Expedition into the Fourth Nature” guided by Kasper Jakubowski, on the other hand, offers a two-hour exploration of Gdynia’s lesser-known natural spaces such as bushes, thickets, and wastelands.
The theme Gdynia-Zdrój evokes spa-like well-being, focusing on both physical and mental health. Discussions at Gdynia-Zdrój will highlight comfort, empathy, inclusivity, and sustainability. It also emphasizes environmental stewardship and climate awareness. Gdynia has never been a spa town on the map of Poland but is becoming one thanks to Gdynia Design Days. To close the festival, the organizers propose a mystical musical experience – a concert by the Polish jazz musician Sławek Jaskułke, who will perform pieces from his latest album, “Sławek Jaskułke at Inryo-ji Temple Japan.” Save the date!
