International design leaders set to gather in Bangkok for creative expo
The Bangkok International Design Expo 2026 will bring together global creatives to explore how design can respond to a rapidly changing world.
Bangkok is set to host the inaugural Bangkok International Design Expo 2026, a new event that will challenge designers, architects and creative thinkers to imagine what comes next in an era of technological, environmental and social change.
Taking place at Bangkok Kunsthalle from 25-29 November, the expo is organised by the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) under the theme, ‘The World Ends: Create What Matters.’
The event will bring together designers, artists, architects, technologists and cultural organisations from around the world to explore a central question: if the world as we know it is ending, what should design create next?
Confirmed participants include Mexico City's Lanza Atelier, London-based creative studio OK-RM and Thailand's CHAT Architects.
The programme will feature exhibitions, installations, talks, performances and pavilions designed to encourage collaboration between creative disciplines, cultures and generations.
Organisers say the expo will examine how design can respond to challenges including artificial intelligence, environmental pressures, technological advancement and changing urban environments.
The event is structured around four themes:
- Here – exploring identity, culture, place and community
- Between – examining the forces reshaping modern life
- Elsewhere – imagining alternative systems and possibilities
- Create What Matters – asking what should be created, who it should serve and what legacy it should leave
The expo builds on conversations launched at the ‘The World Ends: Here Between Elsewhere Design Readiness Forum, held in Bangkok earlier this year, but expands the discussion onto an international stage.
Organisers say Bangkok was chosen because of its unique blend of old and new influences, with Bangkok Kunsthalle, a former printing house in Chinatown, reflecting the event's focus on reinvention and new ideas.
As well as fostering creative exchange, TCEB hopes the event will create opportunities for collaboration between Thailand's creative industries and international partners, helping turn ideas into business and cultural opportunities.
More information is available at theworldends.org.