The Italian Design Day 2026 event took place in Ho Chi Minh City with the theme "Redesign: Recreating space, objects, ideas and connecting values". The program attracted the participation of architects, designers and creative experts from Italy and Vietnam to exchange views on the role of design and architecture in the transformation and regeneration of contemporary cities.
Italian Design Day is an international initiative initiated by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, in coordination with the Italian Ministry of Culture and many partners in the field of design. The initiative is organized in many cities around the world, gathering architects, academies and creative experts to discuss the cultural and social role of design in contemporary life. 2026 marks the tenth anniversary of this event.
This year's theme revolves around the concept of "redesign", emphasizing the view that design is not simply derived from completely new ideas but is the result of the process of inheriting and reinterpreting layers of ideas accumulated over time. This view evokes the opinion of Italian architect Gio Ponti that completely original ideas hardly exist; instead, creativity is formed from the intersection of many cultural influences.
At the program, architect Tiziano Vudafieri - Italian design ambassador to Vietnam within the framework of Italian Design Day 2026 - and architect Ngo Viet Nam Son shared about the role of architecture and design in the process of urban regeneration, especially in terms of innovation, sustainable development and promoting heritage values.
According to speakers, in the context of rapid urban development, balancing between heritage preservation and modern development needs is a major challenge. However, if approached properly, design can become an important tool to help cities adapt to change and develop sustainably.
Through initiatives such as the Italian Design Day, the organizers expect to promote professional exchanges between architects, designers and businesses, and encourage creative ideas in the field of contemporary architecture and design.
