Auckland Design Week 2026 launches with bold vision for People + Place
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Auckland Design Week returns for its third edition in March, unveiling an expanded programme and a renewed focus on the relationship between people, communities and the places they shape.
Auckland Design Week (ADW) 2026 has officially launched, bringing together Aotearoa’s design community for an opening event hosted at Lexus of Auckland. Now in its third year and running from 2nd to 10th March, the 2026 edition introduces a major shift: a new central hub at Shed 10, which will serve as the event’s Design Depot and anchor an expanded programme of exhibitions, workshops and its flagship Design Conference.
Lexus strengthens its support of the event in 2026, stepping into the role of Presenting Partner for a second year — a move that reflects the brand’s commitment to fostering innovative, human-centred design across Aotearoa.
This year’s theme, People + Place, examines the relationships between people, communities and the environments they inhabit, whether physical, cultural or digital. The theme encourages sustainable, inclusive and locally grounded design practices informed by indigenous knowledge and contemporary expression.
ADW 2026 will offer both Public and Pro Design Days, with events taking place across Tāmaki Makaurau. Key partners include IKEA, Dulux, Coco Republic and Konei, alongside a special collaboration with Whanganui & Partners and Chatham Air, which will offer an exclusive chartered day trip from Auckland to the UNESCO City of Design.
Related: Reimagining urban life through nature
The annual Design Conference returns with an international lineup. Confirmed keynote speakers include Briar Hickling, co-founder of Linehouse — the architecture and interior design studio with bases in Auckland, Hong Kong and Shanghai — and Vincent Lowe, former Global Art Director for Nike Running and a creative contributor to Apple, Google and Adidas.
ADW founder Jen Jones recently visited Barcelona and Dutch Design Weeks, sharing ideas and reinforcing global design connections. She notes that Auckland Design Week now stands proudly alongside major international festivals — an impressive achievement for an event still in its infancy.
Jones says the move to Shed 10 marks an important evolution: “Since launching three years ago, the event has gone from strength to strength, which is a testament to the quality and engagement of Aotearoa’s design community. I’m confident this year will be our best yet. The team and I are curating an incredible lineup to highlight design in all its forms — and create a home where our community can collaborate and connect.”
Auckland Design Week
aucklanddesignweek.com
Photography
Courtesy of ADW
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