AIGA SF Design Week is the Bay Area’s annual celebration of design in all its forms—branding, product, UX, architecture, typography, industrial, motion, and beyond—curated by AIGA San Francisco. Spanning citywide venues across San Francisco and anchored by AIGA SF’s headquarters at 130 Sutter St. in SoMa, the week connects creative professionals, students, and design-forward businesses through talks, studio tours, installations, and neighborhood activations.
Programming typically blends marquee keynotes with intimate sessions hosted by leading studios, in-house teams, and cultural institutions—think open studios in SoMa, gallery shows in the Mission, and product-design meetups near downtown. You’ll find case studies from top Bay Area brands, hands-on workshops in tools and methods (from prototyping to type design), portfolio reviews, and panel conversations on ethics, accessibility, climate, and the business of design. Evenings often feature receptions, design crawls, and pop-up exhibits that turn storefronts and lobbies into temporary galleries.
Ideal for multidisciplinary designers, creative directors, product managers, researchers, founders, educators, students, and anyone shaping experiences, brands, and environments. Recruiters and hiring managers attend to spot talent; entrepreneurs come to stress-test ideas; educators and students gain exposure to current practice across the Bay Area’s startup and enterprise ecosystems.
Build a route around clusters of venues—SoMa, downtown, and along Market Street—to minimize transit time between sessions. Popular studio tours and workshops often reach capacity; reserve early and join waitlists. Plan for light sprints between venues and bring a battery pack for note-taking and photos. If you’re job-seeking, refine your portfolio and have quick case-study summaries ready; many attendees are hiring managers. Out-of-towners should consider accommodations near SoMa for easy access. For schedules, accessibility details, and ticketing tiers, check the official AIGA SF channels linked from the organization’s site.
Opening ceremony, welcome speech, network at headquarters, explore events citywide.
Design challenge kickoff, expert panels, portfolio reviews, creative workshops.
Featured appearances from Khoi Vinh and Jessica Hische, alongside keynotes from IDEO Co-Founder David Kelley. Speaker lineup, subject to change
Skip the surge pricing. Keep the good nights' sleep. Downtown hotels near design venues book up fast and surge in price during AIGA SF Design Week. Marina Motel puts you in a quieter, classic San Francisco neighborhood — walkable to the waterfront, Chestnut Street shops and restaurants, and just a short ride to SoMa and various citywide locations via rideshare, bus, or the Marina/Union Street corridor. It's a good fit for attendees who want to end a long design-filled day away from the downtown hustle, with easier parking and a more relaxed, residential feel.
