Here Are the World’s Most Exciting Design Destinations—and Why You Have to Visit

Designers at the center of five emerging creative scenes tell us why their city should be on your radar right now—and, hopefully soon, your itinerary.

Each person we interviewed pointed us to furniture, lighting, and other objects for your home that represent what’s going on in design where they live. Click through to read what each designer loves about their scene.

Quito, Ecuador

Daniel Moreno Flores and Marie Combette

"Quito is a city with a lot of constantly transforming energy, and many of the ideas that young design teams are generating are aimed toward seeking the common good," says architect Marie Combette.

"Quito is a city with a lot of constantly transforming energy, and many of the ideas that young design teams are generating are aimed toward seeking the common good," says architect Marie Combette.

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Lagos, Nigeria

Tosin Oshinowo

"It’s exciting to be able to celebrate your culture and create pieces using local materials within that context. Hopefully it will help a generation of Nigerians to find their voice and be proud of where they’re from," says Tosin Oshinowo.

"It’s exciting to be able to celebrate your culture and create pieces using local materials within that context. Hopefully it will help a generation of Nigerians to find their voice and be proud of where they’re from," says Tosin Oshinowo.

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Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Tuan Le

"Everyone in Ho Chi Minh City’s design community helps each other. There isn’t a lot of money going around for the younger creatives, so they band together," says Tuan Le.

"Everyone in Ho Chi Minh City’s design community helps each other. There isn’t a lot of money going around for the younger creatives, so they band together," says Tuan Le.

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Atlanta, Georgia

Maurice Cherry

"Atlanta’s metropolitan area is extremely spread out—the type of design you’ll see in the city is really going to depend on which neighborhood you visit," says Maurice Cherry.

"Atlanta’s metropolitan area is extremely spread out—the type of design you’ll see in the city is really going to depend on which neighborhood you visit," says Maurice Cherry.

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Athens, Greece

Stamos Michael

"There’s a patchwork of architectural styles in Athens due to the high development years. It gives you a lot of freedom as a designer because you’re like, ‘Okay, I can do whatever I want,’" says Stamos Michael.

"There’s a patchwork of architectural styles in Athens due to the high development years. It gives you a lot of freedom as a designer because you’re like, ‘Okay, I can do whatever I want,’" says Stamos Michael.

Sarah Buder
Culture Editor
Sarah Buder is Dwell’s Culture Editor. She focuses on stories at the intersection of architecture and design with entertainment, travel, identity, the internet, and more. She’s particularly pro-knickknacks.

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