Seventh edition of the Dominican Republic Design Biennial (dRD) focused on the relationship with objects
The event, organized by INTEC and CCESD, features a wide-ranging program of exhibitions, talks, academic meetings, and international experts to reflect on the relationship between people and objects.
SANTO DOMINGO. - Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo (INTEC), through its Industrial Design program, inaugurated the seventh edition of Dominican Republic design (dRD), the biennial that since 2014 has promoted dialogue on design and its impact on everyday life.
The event takes place within the framework of Dominican Designer's Day, celebrated every July 11th. This edition's central theme is... "Our relationship with objects", a reflection on how the products and tools we use every day influence our customs, values, emotions and ways of interacting with the environment.
With the support of the Spanish Cultural Center of Santo Domingo (CCESD), dRD 2026 is developing a program that will extend for more than a month and includes exhibitions, talks, academic meetings and activities with national and international guests.
At the opening ceremony, Aránzazu Toribio, coordinator of the Industrial Design program at INTEC, stated that the essence of dRD is to bring together all design disciplines in a space for reflection, connection, and learning. She also acknowledged the support of CCESD in organizing the academic event and the work of INTEC faculty in developing the agenda of activities that will celebrate design for over a month. She gave special mention to Angélica Rodríguez Bencosme, the team leader.
The agenda began on July 10 with the opening of the exhibition “Dominican Industrial Design: What we use, what we are”The exhibition, held in the Prats Ventós Room of the Spanish Cultural Center, offered a perspective on Dominican industrial design, exploring how raw materials, culture, and ideas are transformed into products, services, and opportunities for the country's development. It also examined how objects ultimately influence those who use them, shaping habits, experiences, and identities.
On July 23, the discussion was held at the Spanish Cultural Center “The new design: processes, challenges and opportunities”, in which emerging designers Juan Carlos Saviñón, Shiny Abbott, Cesarín de la Cruz, Cristina Correa and other participants discussed the creative processes, challenges and opportunities of local design.
As part of the activities aimed at promoting emerging talent, a [event/event/etc.] will be held on July 24th. Pop-up store, a temporary store that will bring together proposals from emerging Dominican designers and served as a platform to exhibit and market locally developed products.
The program will continue on August 6 with the discussion Local design and identity, a space dedicated to reflecting on the influence of culture and context on contemporary design processes.
As part of the final activities, on August 7, at INTEC, the Dominican Association of Design Schools (ADED), an entity that will voluntarily bring together twelve faculties and schools belonging to higher education and technical higher education institutions with the aim of promoting research and good design practices in its different branches.
The closing of the biennial will feature the participation of Serge AlonsoA prominent industrial designer with over 15 years of experience creating products and physical experiences, Alonso, who serves as Global Design Lead at Teka Group Design, based in Barcelona, Spain, will share his experience and vision on contemporary design.
On August 18, at 7:00 p.m., Alonso will give the lecture “Dimensioning the relationships with objects a vision from the experience of design”, on August 19 and 21 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. he will give the workshop “What objects tell us: designing products from the connections they generate”. Also, on August 20 at 7:00 pm, the discussion “The role of the Industrial Designer within Large Corporations” will take place; all activities will be held at the Spanish Cultural Center.
Also, on August 28, the teachers of the Bachelor's Degree in Industrial Design, Aránzazu Toribio and Juan Carlos Fanes, will give the workshop "The Soul of Objects: Exploring Emotional Design and our connection to the material world", in which they will address the relationship between design, emotions and user experience.
Through this seventh edition, Diseño República Dominicana generates conversations about the role of objects in the construction of everyday life and highlights the contribution of industrial design as a tool to promote creativity, innovation and sustainable development.
The activities were aimed at students, professionals, entrepreneurs, creatives and the general public interested in design, architecture, cultural industries and innovation.