Metro pop-up show to kick off SZ Design Week Oct. 29

The 2025 Shenzhen Design Week, in conjunction with the Kunpeng Global Design Award, will open on Oct. 29, Ye Xiaobin, general manager of Shenzhen Media Group, announced at a press conference Friday at the Civic Center in Futian District.

The 10-day event will launch with a unique Metro pop-up experience. Design guests from around the world will act as city explorers, boarding a specialized Metro train from various creative stations before gathering at Gangxia North Station, renowned for its advanced design known as the "Eye of Shenzhen."

Guests share their insights on the topic "Design AI for Positive User Experiences in the Natural and Human Worlds" during the roundtable dialogue in the 2024 Shenzhen Design Week. Lin Jianping

The event will feature five key activities: an opening ceremony, a global designers’ roundtable discussion, the Kunpeng Global Design Award and Shenzhen Design Award for Young Talents ceremony, and the launch of an international cooperation program. Additionally, dozens of creative design events scheduled throughout the year will be announced.

On the evening of Oct. 29, the Kunpeng Global Design Award and the 6th Shenzhen Design Award for Young Talents ceremony will be held at Shenzhen Media Group.

The global award has been upgraded from the previous year, with the total prize fund reaching 4 million yuan (US$561,000). This year's competition attracted 5,288 entries from 18 countries and regions, including the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macao, the U.S., the U.K., Italy, France, Germany, Japan, Finland, Spain, and Singapore.

The global designers’ roundtable discussion will be held on Oct. 30, focusing on how design capitals are responding to emerging AI. More than 10 representatives from design capitals such as Istanbul, Bangkok, Beijing, Shanghai, and Chongqing will participate in the panel.

During the design week, a report on the creative development of the world's design capitals will also be published.