Let's go to the 2018 World Design Capital!

Mexico City is huge and fascinating. Sometimes described as chaotic, this megalopolis is, however, a fertile ground for creative minds.

The year 2018 will be a turning point for the Mexican capital. Designated by the World Design Organization as the World Design Capital, Mexico City is the first municipality from the Americas to receive this title. A yearlong programme of events will be focused

on “promoting design and creative production as engines of social, economic and cultural change in society.”

This international recognition is no accident. In recent years, Mexico City has proven its commitment to develop design, architecture and art at a very high level. Inaugurated in October 2015 and designed by FR-EE (Fernando Romero EnterprisE), the 17,000-square-metre Soumaya Museum—whose undulating façade is made of 16,000 bright hexagons—symbolises the dynamism of the capital. The historic centre—where the Zócalo, or main plaza, and the cathedral are two absolute must-sees—is home to other important cultural institutions, including the Palacio de Bellas Artes (Palace of Fine Arts) and the Museo Nacional de Arte (National Museum of Art, or MUNAL), among many others.

Designed by architect César Pelli, the ultra-modern St. Regis Mexico City luxury hotel, which houses 189 rooms and suites, is situated in the most famous avenue of the capital, Paseo de la Reforma. International design firm Yabu Pushelberg was tasked with interior design, and chose the perfect colours and materials to create a peaceful atmosphere in every room. The team also created elegant pieces of furniture with a mix of classic features and contemporary details to complement the space.

Founded in 2000 by Carlos Couturier and Moises Micha, Grupo Habita has a portfolio of trendy hotels all over the country (and also in the United States) with four of them in Mexico City. Some of the best architects and interior designers were in charge of these projects: Javier Sánchez and India Mahdavi for Condesa DF; Diámetro Arquitectos, David Cherem, Isaac Sasson and Joseph Dirand for Distrito Capital; Cherem Arquitectos for Downtown Mexico; and Enrique Norten and Bernardo Gómez Pimienta for Hotel Habita.

The chic district of Polanco is the place to go for shopping. Common People, a concept store, displays objects from renowned and independent brands in the fields of fashion, design, art, technology, gastronomy and music. In the same neighbourhood, Mexican restaurant Pujol, helmed by chef Enrique Olvera, is definitely on the world culinary map. Dulce Patria is another top place to discover traditional Mexican flavours with plates such as tostadas, ceviches and guisados in an atmosphere that highlights the national identity through decor.

The stunning National Anthropology Museum; the Museo Jumex, designed by British architect David Chipperfield; the Museo Universitario Arte Contemporáneo (University Museum of Contemporary Art, also known as MUAC), built by Teodoro González de León; the Luis Barrágan House and Studio; and Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo’s House-Studio are some of the many landmarks that offer visitors insight into Mexican culture and aesthetics.

Since 2009, Design Week Mexico, occurring every autumn, has become a key rendez-vous for design lovers. With a booming creative scene and an increasing number of interior design amateurs, Mexico City attracts outstanding talents. Legorreta, Martinez & Sordo, Sofía Aspe, Sordo Madaleno, Elena Talavera, Elías Rizo, Covadonga Hernández, and Roy Azar, among others, honour a tradition of creativity and inventiveness, which will not stop here.

(Published in Only Magazine)