Design Shanghai 2025 Champions Human-Centric Design At Its 12th Edition

Asia’s leading design fair, Design Shanghai, returns with a human-centric theme. This year, it introduces a new section, Design Shanghai Collectible, highlighting sustainability and craftsmanship.

Save Article

In Asia, design fairs have become essential pioneers, shaping the region’s cultural and creative fabric. With an eye on ingenuity, these fairs serve as platforms orchestrating a dialogue between tradition and contemporary design. In keeping with this spirit, the 12th edition of Design Shanghai unfolds with the theme ‘Design for Humanity.’ With over 80,000 visitors and 600 curated design brands from more than 30 countries, the fair sustains its legacy of bringing together voices through trailblazing showcases, immersive installations and discourse between industry experts. This year, Design Shanghai expands its dynamic program with the debut of Design Shanghai Collectible, a new section that highlights the rising importance of limited-edition and collectible design. Over four days, the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition Centre will focus on answering “a fundamental question: Through design, where are we heading, and how do we act?” shares Zhuo Tan, Event Director of Design Shanghai.

 

Design Shanghai will be held at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition Centre. (Image Credits: Courtesy of Design Shanghai)
Design Shanghai will be held at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition Centre. (Image Credits: Courtesy of Design Shanghai)

 

Charting The Path Through A Human-Centric Lens

The coffee tables in hall 1 by Desalto are crafted with micro clay coated in leather and cuoietto. (Image Credits: Courtesy of Design Shanghai)
The coffee tables in hall 1 by Desalto are crafted with micro clay coated in leather and cuoietto. (Image Credits: Courtesy of Design Shanghai)

Since its inception, Design Shanghai has orchestrated a meet-cute between East and West, where aesthetic and cultural ethos congregate, reimagining the future of design. With this inheritance, the fair unfolds, spanning four distinct sections, while bringing together a diverse and meticulously curated crew of global design brands. Section 1 (Furniture & Lighting) and Section 2 (Kitchen, Bathroom & Systems Design) showcase innovations from brands like Vitra, Formitalia, Miyazaki Chair Factory, NEKOSpACE and many more. A pavilion by the Spanish Institute for Foreign Trade (ICEX) embodies Spain’s design prowess, with multifarious brands like LFZ Lamps, Porcelanosa, and Viccarbe.

With a focus on sustainability, Section 3 (New Materials & Applications) draws parallels between materiality and eco-consciousness through texture, colour, and mindful materiality. Meanwhile, Section 4 (Living & Lifestyle Design) celebrates exquisite craftsmanship with home accessories and tabletop artistry that transforms everyday objects into timeless heirlooms. A section monikered ‘Talents’ curated by Frank Chou, puts the spotlight on a fresh cohort of rising designers shaping tomorrow’s design language. The exhibits—Chen Min’s ‘Neooold’ and Chris Lefteri’s ‘Materials First’—decipher reflections on design’s evolving language, weaving together emergent voices while highlighting Asian craftsmanship.

 

Also read: 5 Trailblazing Artists You Must See At India Art Fair 2025 

 

A sculptural sanctuary: GEMMA by Agnes Fries blends cobalt porcelain, hand-painted wildlife, and garden-inspired serenity. (Image Credits: Courtesy of Design Shanghai)
A sculptural sanctuary: GEMMA by Agnes Fries blends cobalt porcelain, hand-painted wildlife, and garden-inspired serenity. (Image Credits: Courtesy of Design Shanghai)

 

The Nouveau Collectible Edit

In the quiet alcoves of the exhibition, ‘Practicality’ by Liu Han and Liu Shuai for Chengyan Lacquerware Studio reveals a poetic union of form and function. (Image Credits: Courtesy of Design Shanghai)
In the quiet alcoves of the exhibition, ‘Practicality’ by Liu Han and Liu Shuai for Chengyan Lacquerware Studio reveals a poetic union of form and function. (Image Credits: Courtesy of Design Shanghai)

A significant accessory to this year’s squad is Design Shanghai Collectible, placing collectable art and design at the centre of its debut showcase. As the global appetite for bespoke, limited-edition pieces that seamlessly blend narrative with nuance develops, this new fragment brings art ever closer to the realm of interior design. With a constellation of works—from sculpture and painting to photography and collectable furniture—this debut event displays a balance between traditional and contemporary forms. The highlights include Katz Studio, revered for its algorithm-inspired organic forms, ChengYan Lacquerware Studio, salvaging classic lacquer techniques with a contemporary touch and Yanshan Art Centre, pioneering ceramic innovation through 3D printing and CNC glazing.

 

Also Read: teamLab Phenomena Opens In Abu Dhabi: The Intersection Of Technology And Nature

 

Left: In the Made in JDZ section in hall 3, ‘Moonline – moonlit waters screen’ glimmers. Right: The Lingbao Spirit Cabinet by Tanchur adds a pop of colour to the exhibit. (Image Credits: Courtesy of Design Shanghai)
Left: In the Made in JDZ section in hall 3, ‘Moonline – moonlit waters screen’ glimmers. Right: The Lingbao Spirit Cabinet by Tanchur adds a pop of colour to the exhibit. (Image Credits: Courtesy of Design Shanghai)

Making its debut this year, ‘Made in JDZ’ —curated by designer Ran Xiangfei—celebrates Jingdezhen’s rich heritage in ceramics, metalwork, and lacquer art. Rooted in the evocative concept converges age-old craftsmanship with modern sensibilities, championing the fair’s core innovation and sustainable ethos. This programme unfolds across five immersive realms: the Brand Zone, Craft Compass, and the Three Themed Houses— ‘House of Tea,’ ‘Hall of Wine’ and ‘Place of Food’—with the creative Future Craft Store and the JINGDENESE Forum. Meticulously crafted, it charts the Asian craft’s evolving narrative, celebrating its transformation and reinvention as it gracefully fuses heritage with fresh cultural expressions for the contemporary connoisseur.

 

A Dialogue On Humanity, Innovation, And Wellbeing

The wallpaper by Shoji Decor in Section 3 (New Materials & Applications) underscores craftsmanship. (Image Credits: Courtesy of Design Shanghai)
The wallpaper by Shoji Decor in Section 3 (New Materials & Applications) underscores craftsmanship. (Image Credits: Courtesy of Design Shanghai)

Alongside the exhibition, three conferences led by global design visionaries will explore design’s role in shaping a more mindful, human-focused future, reinforcing Design Shanghai’s position as a platform that allows a dialogue between tradition and innovation. The conference will unfold as a trifecta of premier conferences—the Global Design Conference, centred on the poignant theme ‘Design for Humanity,’ alongside the ‘CMF Conference’ and the ‘Design for Wellbeing Symposium.’ These forums introduce eminent speakers like Craig Miller of Heatherwick Studio, Robert Greenwood of Snøhetta, Satoshi Ohashi from Zaha Hadid Architects and many more, who are shaping the future of design. 

 

Also Read: Marrakech Museum’s $1 Million Makeover Celebrates The Rise Of Contemporary African Art.

 

While chasing the fleeting trends in the ever-evolving realm of design, Design Shanghai 2025 embraces a deeply human-centred vision, choreographing a dialogue between the past and the future. Amidst the hyper-visuals as designers and thinkers converge to explore the question of where design is headed now, this fair acts as a vital catalyst for meaningful dialogue and trailblazing ideas. It serves as a perfect platform for reflecting and imagining a future where design is a glowing beacon, illuminating the path toward conscious design.

.