Elisava Gradshow 2026 – 65th Anniversary

The Elisava Gradshow brings together over 500 Final Degree Projects from students of the Bachelor in Design and the Bachelor in Industrial Design Engineering, alongside the Master’s and Postgraduate Programmes, all showcased at Elisava and Centre Esportiu Municipal Colom.

This celebration of final projects at Elisava unfolds as a collective narrative, offering a wide range of stories to explore and share with the city of Barcelona during a programme of events and activities taking place from 16 to 18 June. The exhibition features projects developed in collaboration with companies, NGOs, studios, research centres, cultural organisations, institutions and Elisava Research, as well as independent personal work.

As part of Elisava’s 65th anniversary, this year’s Gradshow takes on a special significance by returning to the city center. The aim is to open up the school to Barcelona, bringing design closer to citizens and connecting directly with the vibrant context of La Rambla. By situating the exhibition in such a central location, at Elisava we seek to share the work of our students with a wider audience, reinforcing the dialogue between design, the city, and its people.

12:00–21:00h : Open exhibition (Elisava and CEM Colom)

17:00h – 19:00: USM and Elisava Racing Team presentation (Plaça del Teatre)

19:00 – 19:30h: Opening address by Javier Peña, Director General of Elisava; Cristina Taverner, Elisava’s Dean; and Santiago Albert, Director of Elisava’s Master’s and Postgraduate Programmes (Plaça del Teatre)

19:30 – 21:30h: Opening party – Food, drinks & music (Plaça del Teatre)

10.00h – 21.00h: Open exhibition (Elisava and CEM Colom)

09:00 – 15:30h: Presentation of Final Year Projects 26–27 (Room 110)

10:00 – 11:30h: Business Showcase (Student’s Room)

11:30 – 14:00h: Talent Day – Networking Vermut (1st floor terrace)

16:00 – 17:30h: Talk Master in Design for Responsible AI (Room 110)

18.00 – 19.00h: Future Design Talk – Santa & Cuelo (Room 110)

10:00 – 21:00h: Open exhibition (Elisava and CEM Colom)

09:00 – 17:30h: Presentation of Final Year Projects 26–27 (Room 110)

11:00 – 19:00h: Master in Design for Emergente Futuras Festival (3rd floor terrace)

11:00 – 14:00h: ei! Awards Jury (Student’s Room)

16:30 – 19:00h: Made in Elisava Podcast (1st floor terrace)

18.00 – 19-00h: Future Design Talk – TOUS+Ventanas Chairs Talk (Room 110)

18:00h – 19:00: Trustto presentation (1st floor Terrace)

19.30 – 22.00h: Grad Show Closing Party by Timesburg (1st floor terrace)

00.00h: Official After Party at Jamboree

+ 00:00-01:00h Gratis*
+ 01:00-02:00h 10€*
+ Des de les 02:00h 15 €*

*with Elisava’s ID card

This year’s exhibition design and system have been developed by Diego Ramos, Josep Novell and Anna Labèrnia, in collaboration with Toni Montes, Maria Charneco and the students María Ruedas, Guaditoca Morilla, and Ariadna Canela. The design transforms Elisava’s educational environment into an immersive exhibition space, redefining how the school is experienced by both its community and visitors. The proposal invites a rediscovery of the building, offering new ways of navigating and perceiving its spaces, particularly for first-time audiences.

Light and darkness play a central role in the exhibition system, acting as curatorial tools to focus attention and create atmospheres that highlight the projects and guide the visitor’s journey throughout the building.

A “second skin” is introduced as both a narrative and spatial device, partially concealing the existing architecture while establishing a distinct visual identity. This layer defines and communicates the exhibition layout, generating a cohesive framework in which projects are presented and connected. The system also embraces the reuse of materials already present in the classrooms, integrating them as key elements of the exhibition structure. This approach reinforces the relationship between learning and display while promoting resource-conscious design.

Responding to the diversity of disciplines, formats, and academic programmes, the exhibition presents projects through a dynamic and adaptable system. This flexibility allows each work to be experienced according to its specific nature, contributing to a rich and multifaceted collective

The exhibition is distributed over three floors at Elisava and CEM Colom and are distributed under 19 topics – categories that delve into personal perspectives and critical positions, with the aim of generating meaningful impact and proposing new ways of improving people’s lives, society, and the environment.

01 Materials – Experimenting with materials for a sustainable future

02 Design for health – Designing for care and wellbeing

03 Interactive design – Creating meaningful interactions between people and systems

04 Photography – Using images to observe, question and tell stories

05 Branding – Building meaningful brands through strategy and culture

06 Technology and innovation – Exploring how technology shapes new ways of designing and living

07 Artificial intelligence – Exploring AI as a creative, critical and ethical tool

08 Business design – Designing businesses through strategy, innovation and design

09 Graphic Design – Designing as a civic practice in service to culture and society

10 Critical design – Designing through critical and contextual perspectives

11 Food design – Designing food systems, cultures and experiences

12 Illustration – Drawing ideas, visual narratives and points of view

13 Packaging – Rethinking packaging beyond consumption

14 Space design – Shaping spaces that influence how we live together futures

15 Futures – Speculating, prototyping and imagining what comes next

16 Social innovation – Designing with communities for real social change

17 Product design – Designing meaningful objects around people and society

18 Mobility – Redefining how we move through cities and territories

19 Communication – Envisioning communication that creates impact and connection