Most small business owners are building the plane while flying it. The brand, the voice, the direction. It usually comes together little by little.
On May 28, join Shanti Mayers for a conversation about building a business with intention while still growing into what it becomes. This session is for entrepreneurs who want their presence to feel connected to who they are, even as things shift and evolve. We’ll talk about brand identity and how to create something people actually connect with over time.
Register at the link in bio!
As designers, data is not always the first thing we lead with, but last year’s numbers speak for themselves.
“Why should I join the 2026 DesignPhiladelphia Festival?”
Because this festival puts Philadelphia’s design community in front of more people than ever. Whether your celebrating your studio anniversary with an open house or hosting an event that unveils a new project, get your hard work recognized in new ways.
Early bird pricing ends May 31st. Don't miss out on saving up to $200 now!
Storytelling is part strategy and part figuring it out as you go.
On May 19, join Lindsay Bedford and Simone Partridge for a conversation about what it really looks like to build stories inside nonprofit and civic work. Using Read by 4th and Reading Assist as examples, they’ll share how messaging changes depending on who you’re trying to reach and what kind of impact you’re trying to make.
This session is designed for anyone thinking about how stories shape action!
At KieranTimberlake, architect Brandon Cuffy contributes to projects like Loblolly House. Inspired by the childhood urge to build tree houses, the architecture brings back the magic of a house in the trees while also improving the productivity of design and construction and mimicking the nature surrounding the home in an ethical and aesthetically moving manner. The project reflects a belief that design can be both high-performing and deeply connected to how people experience space.
That same mindset shows up in Brandon’s volunteer work with our Design Education program.
He has spent the past few years volunteering in classrooms across the city, helping bring design concepts to life in the classroom. In this specific classroom at Jenks Elementary, students explored how buildings can move and adapt, creating operable windows and shading systems that shift with use.
By connecting professional practice to hands-on learning, Brandon helps open the door for students to see themselves as future contributors to design.
New episode drop! 🎤🎧
This episode we sit down with Daniela Holt Voith, founding principal at Voith & Mactavish Architects, to talk about her path from an alternative education in the Philly suburbs to designing beautiful, boundary-pushing campus buildings near and far.
Listen at the link in our bio!
Is design shifting?
As conversations around generative AI grow, some designers are pushing in a different direction. Designer Nick Foster points to a rise in work that embraces roughness, texture, and unpredictability, while Luca Nichetto questions whether the future of design will move away from polished trends and toward work with deeper meaning and impact.
It raises a bigger question: what does design value right now?
We see this moment as an opportunity where designers are not just responding to trends, but shaping culture through work that feels more rooted in the human experience.
Comment if you think design trends are more leaning towards intentional imperfection or neat and tidy design!
Credit: @dezeen
The New Museum in New York has always been a space for new ideas.
When it opened in 2007, SANAA designed a structure that stood apart from its surroundings while still inviting the city in. Its stacked, shifting volumes allow light to move through the building and create a sense of openness within a dense urban context.
Now, nearly two decades later, the museum is expanding and a new addition will double its exhibition space for residencies and public programs. After a hiatus for construction, the museum just reopened March 21, 2026.
It’s a good moment to look back at what SANAA set in motion and how it still holds up.
Most people try to build a brand too early.
Clarity comes first.
Join us Wednesday, May 13 at Three Parkway for a workshop with Nekwan Luke designed for small business owners, marketers, & nonprofit leaders. Through real examples, you’ll learn how to establish what your brand stands for and show up consistently in a way that builds trust.
Meet Nekwan
Nekwan Luke is a multidisciplinary brand designer who partners with startups, nonprofits, and creative organizations to turn strategy into thoughtful design systems that work in the real world. If you’re building something and want to do it with intention, this is for you.
Register through the link in bio.
Design shapes so much of our everyday lives, even in ways we don’t always notice, and #WorldDesignDay is a good moment to pause and appreciate that. At DesignPhiladelphia, we’re focused on supporting creative, diverse voices across the city and making space for more people to be part of the design world.
We are proud to keep building a more inclusive and connected design future for our city and beyond.
When you're a creative, money can feel unpredictable. This workshop is here to make it feel a little more steady.
Join wealth advisor Jacky Petit-Homme for a conversation built for you. We’ll cover irregular income, saving, investing, how to think about risk, and keeping your goals in mind. Money conversations can feel intimidating, but you don't need to have it all figured out to join us. Get clarity around your financial decisions as a creative!
About Jacky
✔️Founding partner at Liberty One Wealth Advisors
✔️ Focused on helping people build financial plans that support both their work + their future
✔️Based in Philadelphia and committed to mentorship and community
May 4th | 6:00-8:00pm
Register through the link in bio.
588 students
33 volunteers
9 classrooms
1 shared goal
Last week, professionals and students stepped into classrooms across Philadelphia to talk about what design really looks like and how it will be shaping our tomorrows. Volunteers put students in the driver's seat of their communities, showing them that whatever they dream can be a reality through design. The future of the design industry depends on who we invite in today. Last week was one step toward building that future.
Thank you to every volunteer who showed up and made this work real. #ArchitectureWeek
Philadelphia’s Navy Yard has, and continues to go through an incredible transformation, going from a historical shipbuilding complex to a center for design and creative work in our city.
The area is growing into a combination of modern offices, creative studios, and public spaces that allow for collaboration and connection.The Navy Yard’s transformation began over 25 years ago with the goal of creating a space for innovation and a chance to open more jobs to the community, which has continued throughout the revitalization of the space.
Today, the Navy Yard supports numerous businesses which stretch across fields from design and health to fashion.
