Local+ – creative energies across the country

This year, Budapest Design Week will not only bring the three major regional and Budapest events, but will also highlight a number of cities that will showcase their own design culture with a special event. The programmes in Győr, Kecskemét, Szentendre, Tata, Veszprém and Balatonfüred are a good example: exciting and valuable creations are not only created in the capital. Creative energy is present all over the country, from traditional to contemporary experimentation.

In Győr, the Herend Touches, Community Experiences exhibition shows how a porcelain set becomes the keeper of stories and community experiences that span generations. Here, Herend porcelain is not just an object, but a carrier of memories and family links, creating a connection between past, present and future.

In Kecskemét, within the walls of the VIBE Concept Lakásbutik, art historian Blanka Bán Blanka guides the audience into the world of historical collaborations between art and fashion. The presentation will show, through accessible examples, how artists and fashion designers entered into dialogue with each other, and how iconic works of art were created that simultaneously define the culture of art and dressing.

Szentendre’s special programme, the exhibition Soul Shaped in Fire, is based around the wooden sculptures and unique design objects of Tamás Poór, burned with the sho sugi ban technique. The process, which is of Japanese origin, is not only visual but also philosophical: the material formed by fire becomes a metaphor for the inner transformation of the soul. In the more intimate space of the gallery, the artist himself gives a guided tour, where personal stories and reflections are combined with the objects.

In Tata, the Leather and Soul exhibition presents the sixteen-year history of the RAZABRA brand, from the first experiments to international fashion weeks. The handmade bag brand founded by Dóra Zábráczki combines the timeless value of leather with contemporary design, showing how past and present, local roots and global vision are intertwined. The exhibition will be complemented by a workshop tour and personal encounters, allowing the public to experience the process of handcrafting first-hand.

In Veszprém, the Stool of the Future workshop will take place in the DEMO Workshop, where participants can make their own stool with handheld machines and then apply artificial intelligence-generated patterns to it. The programme is both hands-on and forward-looking: participants will experience the whole process of making a stool, while experiencing how craftsmanship meets digital technology.

In Balatonfüred, the gates of the Petit Bois villa open to the public. The turn of the century building has been reborn as a five-star hotel thanks to the work of ARX Architects and este’r partners. During the tour, participants will learn about the villa’s turbulent history, discover its flowing spaces and, accompanied by a view of Lake Balaton, be immersed in a unique atmosphere where the boundaries between past and present, architecture and interior design are dissolved.

Local+ events reflect local values and open up to an international perspective. A porcelain set, a leather bag, a sculpture made with sho sugi ban or even a stool decorated with AI-generated patterns are all proof that invisible threads of creativity run through the country. It is worth exploring them, as each city shows a different face of Hungarian design and each has the potential for a shared experience.

Date: 8-19 October 2025.

Details and registration: on the venues’ websites and on the BDW website.