The 12th edition of Design Shanghai has wrapped at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition & Convention Center, drawing over 76,000 visitors and more than 600 brands from over 30 countries. With “Design for Humanity” as its guiding theme, the fair underscored how design can serve not just aesthetics, but wellbeing, sustainability, and community.
Highlights included the launch of Collectible Design and Art, a platform dedicated to limited-edition works and experimental pieces, marking a turning point in how Chinese audiences engage with art and design. Meanwhile, the TALENTS programme, gave young creatives a stage to question the role of design in times of global tension — from reimagined ceramics inspired by glacial retreat to modular lighting systems crafted from recycled materials. Beyond the installations and panels, the fair’s global design conference tackled head-on the delicate balance between human creativity and machine intelligence in the age of AI.
But Design Shanghai is more than just a fair — it is also a portal into the cultural and lifestyle pulse of the city itself. Offsite, Shanghai’s rhythm extends seamlessly from galleries to wine bars, from museums to street terraces, each corner reflecting the same conversation about how design shapes everyday life.
For a refined pause, Nora’s wine shop and bar offers natural vintages in a warm, unpretentious space that has quickly become a creative community hangout. Just down the way, On Air continues its mission of recruiting and platforming young artists, echoing the TALENTS programme in a more grassroots setting. At Livey Street Terrace, European-style cafés spill onto the pavement, where locals and visitors alike lounge with coffee or wine — a small but powerful reminder that design is lived, not only exhibited.
Art lovers will find Shanghai’s museums equally compelling. Mona Fotagrafiska is a new cultural magnet, with photography-led exhibitions that blend visual storytelling and social commentary. By the Huangpu, the Power Station of Art — itself an industrial landmark — is hosting a major exhibition on I.M. Pei, celebrating the late architect’s timeless impact on modern architecture. These institutions complement the fair’s design-forward ethos by rooting creativity in heritage and lived context.
Of course, no visit is complete without a taste of the city’s culinary edge. Mandy, a rising Chongqing star chef, is making waves with fiery, inventive dishes that carry her hometown spirit into Shanghai’s cosmopolitan dining scene. For something more laid-back, Cheers Burger in the Xuhui District is a must. Run by Angus, the spot serves honest beef burgers with an emphasis on core values: simplicity, modesty, and respect for the building’s natural aged character, preserved without excessive intervention. Conveniently, it shares the stretch with fashion boutiques, making it easy to pair a casual bite with a browse through local and international style.
This interplay between fair and city, between exhibition hall and everyday life, is what makes Design Shanghai so vital. It is not just an annual meeting point for global design, but also an open invitation to experience how Shanghai itself embodies the future of design; as a living, breathing, and ever-evolving force.
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