Introduction
Design is not only a discipline of creating objects, spaces, and experiences; it is also a way of understanding cities, cultures, and the stories that shape them. Across the world, design weeks have become platforms where creativity extends beyond exhibitions and enters into conversations about identity, society, and the future.
As one of Iran’s emerging design platforms, Tehran Design Week seeks to create a dialogue between designers, artists, industry professionals, academia, and the public. Rooted in the cultural context of Tehran, the event explores how design can become a language for expressing local narratives while engaging with the wider global design community.
In this exclusive conversation with Designooor, Marjan Ahrabifard, Director of Tehran Design Week, reflects on the vision behind the event, the role of storytelling in design, the challenges of cultural leadership, and her perspective on the future of Iranian design within the international landscape. 
Interview
As a policymaker and the Director & Curator of Tehran Design Week, what is your core vision behind organizing Design Week, and how do you envision the future evolution of Tehran Design Week in terms of scale, impact, and its role within the regional and global design landscape?
For me, Tehran Design Week is more than a design event; it is an opportunity to reveal the story of Tehran and the people who shape it. Every city carries its own identity, memory, and culture, and I believe design is one of the most powerful languages through which these stories can be expressed.
That is why I see Tehran Design Week not simply as a platform for showcasing projects, but as a space for dialogue between designers, artists, industry, academia, and the public. My goal is to position design not only as a professional discipline, but also as a cultural practice that connects people, ideas, and society.
Looking ahead, I am less interested in making the event bigger than in making it more meaningful. I hope Tehran Design Week will become a platform that brings Tehran’s authentic narrative and the creative potential of Iranian design into regional and global conversations.
For me, the goal is not to imitate existing design capitals, but to contribute a distinctive voice rooted in our own culture, lived experiences, and perspectives.
“I am less interested in making the event bigger than in making it more meaningful.”
Now that you are at the forefront of one of Iran’s most influential design events, how do you define your role: architect, curator, leader or something entirely new? What does this position allow you to express that traditional design work didn’t?
If I had to describe myself in a single word, it would be “storyteller.”
Design has always been my way of telling stories about culture, place, and lived experience—whether through an object, a space, or a cultural event.
Tehran Design Week has allowed me to think beyond the scale of an individual project and engage with the narrative of an entire city. Today, I am not only telling the story of a design object, but also the story of Tehran and the people who shape its identity.
My role has not fundamentally changed; only the scale of the narrative has expanded. The medium has changed, but the intention remains the same: design continues to be my language for storytelling.
“My role has not fundamentally changed; only the scale of the narrative has.”
As someone shaping the cultural and creative direction of this event, how do your own personal experiences in design and curation influence the identity and character of Tehran Design Week?
We believe that every cultural event gradually takes on the values and perspectives of those who shape it.
My experience in architecture, design, education, and curation has taught me that design is not only about creating form; it is about creating meaning, fostering dialogue, and expressing culture. Naturally, these values have become an integral part of Tehran Design Week’s identity.
Our interest in storytelling, cultural identity, and Iranian heritage has shaped the event into something beyond a conventional design showcase. We have tried to create a platform where design becomes a catalyst for dialogue, the exchange of ideas, and a renewed understanding of contemporary Iranian culture.
Just as every designer leaves a signature in their work, every event carries the signature of its curatorial vision. If there is a defining signature to Tehran Design Week, we hope it is a belief in storytelling, dialogue, and cultural identity.
“Design is not only about creating form; it is about creating meaning, fostering dialogue, and expressing culture.”
What philosophies or principles guide your decision-making when selecting themes, collaborations, and installations for Tehran Design Week? What makes a project feel “right” for this platform?
We do not select projects based solely on innovation or aesthetics. What matters most is whether a project carries an authentic story and whether it can contribute to a broader cultural conversation.
At Tehran Design Week, we look for works that connect design with culture, society, industry, and everyday life. We are interested in projects that invite people to think, question, and engage—not simply to admire.
Ultimately, authenticity remains our most important criterion. We value projects that emerge from a genuine perspective and a clear cultural voice rather than those that simply follow existing trends.
We believe meaningful design does not imitate; it reveals.
“Meaningful design does not imitate; it reveals.”
Given your central role in building the foundation of this Design Week, what has been the most challenging moment so far and what has been the most defining or rewarding one?
Our most challenging moment came when part of Tehran Design Week had to be suspended in the middle of the event. It reminded us that the broader cultural role of design is not yet fully understood.
We believe design is one of the few languages capable of building bridges between cultures and fostering meaningful dialogue beyond political boundaries.
That experience also became one of our most valuable lessons. It showed us that when an idea responds to a genuine cultural need, it cannot be defined by a single obstacle.
Today, we measure the success of Tehran Design Week not only by the days it takes place, but by the conversations, collaborations, and connections it continues to inspire long after the event has ended.
“We measure success not by the days the event takes place, but by the conversations and connections it continues to inspire.”
Looking ahead, what kind of impact do you hope your leadership will have on the next generation of Iranian designers and on the international perception of Tehran as a design capital?
I hope the next generation of Iranian designers will see design not only as a way of creating objects or spaces, but as a language for expressing culture, identity, and lived experience.
If every designer finds their own authentic voice, Iranian design will naturally discover its distinctive place in the world.
As for Tehran, my hope is not that it becomes another design capital by following existing models. I hope it is recognized for its own narrative, creativity, and cultural identity—a city that engages with the world through an authentic dialogue shaped by design.
For me, success will come when the world remembers Tehran not only for what it builds, but for the story it has to tell.
“I hope Tehran is recognized for its own narrative, creativity, and cultural identity.”
About Marjan Ahrabifard
Marjan Ahrabifard is the Director of Tehran Design Week. With a background spanning architecture, design, education, and cultural curation, her work focuses on the relationship between design, storytelling, and cultural identity.
Through Tehran Design Week, she explores the role of design as a medium for dialogue, cultural expression, and connection between creative communities, industries, and audiences.
Her approach reflects a belief that design is not only a process of making, but also a way of understanding places, people, and the narratives that shape contemporary society.
About Tehran Design Week
Tehran Design Week is a multidisciplinary design platform dedicated to exploring contemporary design culture in Iran and connecting local creative voices with regional and international audiences.
Through exhibitions, installations, talks, workshops, and collaborative programs, the event brings together designers, artists, academics, industries, and the public to examine the relationship between design, culture, technology, and society.
Rooted in the identity of Tehran, the platform aims to present Iranian design through an authentic perspective while encouraging dialogue with the global design community.
