Events

Join us for a conversation with Gustav Düsing, an award-winning architect whose work has redefined boundaries in art and design. Düsing will share insights into his creative process and the journey behind building his innovative practice, from global exhibitions like the Antarctic Biennale to earning prestigious accolades such as the 2024 EUmies Award.

Join us for a talk with Matylda Krzykowski, a designer, curator, and scenographer known for her innovative approach to social interaction through design. Krzykowski will explore how she uses strategic improvisation and transdisciplinary methods to challenge the roles and possibilities of design, art, and architecture in both real and virtual spaces.

A lecture by Ahmed Aboutaleb, Rotterdam Mayor 2009-2024, followed by a conversation with Cornelia Forsthuber - Aumayr Editor in Chief of  CityChangers.org and Project & Event Manager of Urban Future Young Leaders Programme.

Join us for an insightful talk with Horacio González-Aleman, CEO of Gospel Estudios, the Barcelona-based fashion brand co-founded with soccer player Héctor Bellerín. González-Aleman will share lessons from three years of building a responsible fashion brand, exploring the balance between tradition and technology, the psychology of decision-making, and creating mindful alternatives to fast consumption.

Renowned interdisciplinary artist, designer, and curator Matylda Krzykowski will meet Grazielle Bruscato, artist, designer, and professor at IE School of Architecture and Design, in a ritual tea format. This intimate and dynamic gathering, conducted in English, promises to inspire. While both experts discuss topics such as the creative process, non-linear career paths, current in-demand design skills, transdisciplinary and collaborative practices, and the performativity of objects and spaces, attendees will have the chance to actively participate in the conversation. This session is an invitation to delve intimately into the creative world of these two young designers and explore the intersections of art, design, and contemporary culture. The event is designed for 20–25 participants.

This workshop aims to unleash attendees' digital creativity in an augmented reality environment. Using Landing Pad by Gravity Sketch and virtual reality glasses, participants will immerse themselves in a unique experience where innovation meets tradition. Guided by Gianluca Pugliese, director of LOWPOLY, attendees will design a virtual environment filled with artistic objects capturing the essence of different cultures. They will create their own collaborative virtual art gallery, customizing every corner and bringing their ideas to life. Gianluca Pugliese, a 3D design and innovation enthusiast, has pioneered the application of low-poly techniques in the industry. His expertise and creative vision will inspire participants to explore new possibilities in the world of digital art.

This event explores the intersections of sustainability, traditional craftsmanship, industry, and contemporary design through a collaboration between master weaver Idoia Cuesta and students from IE University’s School of Architecture and Design in the Collaborative Design Studio II class. Together, they will weave and dialogue, reimagining industrial waste to shape handmade, wearable headpieces that inspire personal stories and the rich heritage of folklore. This creative process will not only produce unique and beautiful pieces but also allow reflection on the essential role of craftsmanship in cutting-edge design practices and building more sustainable futures. Morning and afternoon sessions will allow festival attendees to engage directly with traditional weaving techniques.

How can we imagine Madrid in 2075? What animals, plants, buildings, and objects will be part of the city? What smells, tastes, and colors will be most common in the streets? How will we play, move, and interact with spaces? This workshop invites children to explore these questions and create their own visions of a future Madrid.

The goal of the workshop is to stimulate creativity and critical thinking among participants, encouraging them to imagine a city that combines the real and the possible, the fantastical and the functional. Through sensory interaction, memory, and speculative fiction, children will have the opportunity to draw and design, practically experimenting with urban design and architectural tools.

The workshop will take place in a participatory and playful environment, where children will approach drawing as a tool for expression and reflection on space. Throughout the activity, different ways of perceiving space through the senses will be explored: how would a city of the future look, smell, or sound? By using pencil drawings and simple materials like paper, the workshop will promote the creation of visual narratives that help shape a collectively imagined city.

TetuánCrea is an emerging creative collective rooted in the Tetuán district of Madrid. Known for its artistic diversity, Tetuán is undergoing rapid social and architectural transformation. TetuánCrea aims to become a cultural reference point, connecting designers, artisans, artists, and local creatives while preserving the district's unique identity. However, the collective faces a crucial moment: it must define who it is and how to establish a strong cultural brand that resonates both locally and internationally.

This challenge is an opportunity to create a strategic identity for TetuánCrea, consolidating its presence as a key player in Madrid's cultural scene and beyond. Students from the Strategic Design course in the 4th year of the Bachelor in Design at IE University have developed a project in collaboration with over 35 studios within the collective. Their role as strategic designers is to shape this identity, ensuring a balance between inclusivity, artistic excellence, and economic sustainability.

In this talk, together with the collective’s promoters, these future designers will share their process of ethnographic research and co-creation. They will present how they explored the cultural identity of the collective, criteria for determining membership, strategies for positioning TetuánCrea as a cultural leader in Madrid, and the development of a sustainable strategy to self-finance and create value for its members and the wider community.

IE University collaborates with Lucas Muñoz Muñoz on a material research project conceptualized and designed by the Madrid-based designer: M15, a tool for design education on materials and applications. It seeks to contribute to the well-being of the creative community and the planet through the joint efforts of students, professors, and the institution.

M15 is a territorial investigation aimed at creating an open catalog of processes and material possibilities based on what the project calls Informal Sources of Materials (ISMs): constant flows of residual materials generated in specific locations. Every human activity produces waste, which from a creative perspective can be transformed into something new. The academic challenge undertaken in this project is to map these sources in Madrid, recover, recycle, reuse, and find new value for them. Subsequently, a catalog will be created with this information and made accessible to the world.

This panel will explore how contemporary design practices navigate the increasingly blurred boundaries between digital and physical spaces, highlighting the role of multidisciplinary approaches in interior and architectural design. The discussion will emphasize the interplay between academic research and practical application, examining how speculative design and critical practice inspire innovation.

Panelists will address urgent global challenges, such as climate change, social inequality, and decolonization, through design strategies that promote sustainability, inclusivity, and resilience. Additionally, they will analyze the role of technology, especially artificial intelligence and machine learning, in transforming design and spatial practice, reflecting on its creative potential alongside its ethical implications.

Drawing on their diverse experiences, the panelists will share perspectives on redefining the role of the designer in creating spaces that are functional, inspiring, equitable, and future-oriented. The conversation will foster a culture of design that thoughtfully responds to today’s most pressing issues.

‘Work in Progress x CMPLASTIK’ presents an exploration of the creative and sustainable possibilities of plastic. This lecture-exhibition will showcase the results of the ongoing (Work in Progress) project by students from the IE University School of Architecture and Design, Design Studio II, in collaboration with CMPlastik. The project involves developing products from defective plastic pieces and scraps from the local industry. Through brief presentations and talks about selected projects alongside CMPlastik, the aim is to highlight the project’s process, not just its outcomes.

Today, we consume two hundred times more plastic than in the last century. Its use in short-lived products and insufficient management has led to a global challenge. CMPlastik’s mission is to prevent this waste from reaching the natural environment. To achieve this, they create panels using waste that cannot be conventionally recycled, giving new life to what would otherwise be discarded. The goal of the project is to design a product that showcases the value of CMPlastik’s plastic panels—desirable and attractive products with concepts that raise awareness about plastic pollution and the current climate crisis.

In this workshop, biologist and designer Taryn Mead, a professor at the IE University School of Architecture and Design, invites us to explore the concept of the "Symbiocene," an emerging era where we use tools from ecology, design, and psychology to build closer relationships with the world beyond humans. Through hands-on activities, such as creating biomaterials and non-toxic plastics using plants, food waste, and simple kitchen ingredients, participants will discover how material choices can help us connect more deeply with our environment. This workshop offers a unique opportunity to learn about biomaterials and experience firsthand how we can create a more sustainable future.

The exhibition ‘Creating Materials for the Symbiocene’ invites reflection on the deep connection between the materials we use and our environment. Where do the materials around us come from, and how do they shape our emotions and perceptions? Biologist, designer, and professor at the IE University School of Architecture and Design, Taryn Mead, proposes that material choices can help us feel more integrated within the planet's ecology and understand our interdependence with other species. By exploring the social, ecological, and geographic origins of materials, Mead guides visitors on a journey across the world’s ecoregions. This exhibition connects us to the materials we use in our daily lives, prompting reflection on how they shape our experiences.

Textiles are witnesses and narrators of the world’s history, carrying stories that connect tradition, culture, civilizations, and beliefs. ‘Following the Thread’ delves into the stories of our origins: colors loaded with symbolism, patterns reflecting social movements and cultural revolutions, and fabrics that help us understand who we are, where we come from, and where we are headed.This panel explores how fashion, as a contemporary expression, translates these narratives into garments, designs, and patterns that engage with the present, shaping our collective and individual identities.

As society becomes increasingly multigenerational, the design of retail spaces must adapt to meet the needs of five distinct generations, from Baby Boomers to Generation Alpha. This talk explores how retail can transform into a space of connection, inclusion, and functionality that meets the expectations and behaviors of diverse audiences.

The discussion will address how designers can bridge generational gaps by integrating technology, sustainability, and post-humanist design principles. Key topics include designing flexible spaces that evolve with user needs, utilizing digital tools to create immersive and accessible experiences, and balancing tradition and innovation to cater to each generation's preferences.Drawing on real projects and expert insights, this session highlights the challenges and opportunities in creating retail environments that not only accommodate but celebrate multigenerational diversity.

For the architects, designers, and real estate professionals of tomorrow, nailing down an industry blueprint is essential—ideally before you start building your career

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