Anchorage Design Week 2025: celebrating creativity, sustainability, and community
Organized by the Anchorage Museum in collaboration with numerous community partners, Anchorage Design Week is an annual gathering of creative minds dedicated to fostering and inspiring place-based design. It serves as a platform to reimagine the future of our city and the evolving lifeways of Northern regions. Through thought-provoking visuals, interactive interventions, engaging workshops, and meaningful conversations, Design Week invites community members and creatives to explore how design can play a pivotal role in shaping positive and inclusive futures.
Anchorage Design Week debuted in 2016 as Anchorage Design Weekend; the 2025 edition takes place from February 20 t0 23.
In 2025, our focus turns toward the power of sustainable materials and practices—examining how they can foster inclusivity, strengthen communities, and challenge designers to elevate their work, whether in branding, architecture, or urban planning. We invite participants to push creative boundaries while addressing pressing global challenges through innovative and thoughtful design solutions.
As we celebrate what makes Alaska distinct, we look forward to reconnecting with our community – while shaking off a little cabin fever – as Anchorage Design Week once again coincides with the vibrant Anchorage Fur Rendezvous festivities in late February 2025. This unique timing provides a special opportunity to merge tradition with innovation, highlighting the intersection of culture, history, and forward-thinking design.
Community events and collaborations
Anchorage Design Week is made possible through strong partnerships with Alaska Design Forum and AIGA Alaska, bringing together creative professionals, thought leaders, and engaged community members. As a proud member of World Design Weeks, we align with a global movement that fosters meaningful dialogue around design’s impact on society and the environment.
One of this year’s key community projects is the Reconnecting Fairview initiative, which offers a deep dive into the histories, people, and places that shape the East Downtown Fairview area. This initiative supports a community-led revitalization effort, known as the Fairview Greenway project, which aims to reimagine and enhance neighborhood spaces for future generations.
As part of this effort, we are excited to welcome fourth-year architecture students from the University of Texas at Arlington, who will conduct fieldwork and develop speculative concepts focused on community food spaces, ecotourism and innovation hubs, and health and wellness centers in Fairview. During this engaging neighborhood tour, participants will have the opportunity to help document spaces, contribute their perspectives, and share ideas that could help shape the future of this vibrant community.
Anchorage Design Week 2025 key event: Inform Conference 2025
Anchorage Design Week proudly presents Inform 2025, an immersive conference that centers around the theme of Equity, Empathy, and Connections, with a particular emphasis on Urban Design and Raising People Up. This dynamic event will feature:
- Inspiring keynote speakers
- Continuing Education (CEU) presentations
- Insightful panel discussions
- A showcase lunch hour, where vendors can present innovative products and materials to members of the design community
Whether you’re a seasoned professional, an artist, a community leader, or a student, Inform 2025 offers a unique opportunity to learn from industry experts, spark new ideas, and build meaningful connections. This is your chance to gain valuable insights, expand your network, and explore the latest advancements in design.
There’s a fee to attend to the conference.
Special guest presentation: Carson Chan of MoMA
As part of Anchorage Design Week 2025, we are thrilled to host a special guest presentation by Carson Chan, Curator of Architecture and Design at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), in partnership with the Alaska Design Forum.
Carson Chan serves as the inaugural Director of the Emilio Ambasz Institute for the Joint Study of the Built and Natural Environment, where he leads groundbreaking research initiatives that examine the intersection of architecture, urbanism, and ecological sustainability. His work at MoMA spans exhibitions, public lectures, conferences, seminars, and publications, all aimed at advancing innovative approaches to design within the context of environmental and social challenges.
This special presentation is a rare opportunity to hear from one of the leading voices in contemporary architecture and design, providing invaluable insights into the ways design can bridge the built and natural environments to create a more sustainable future.
With an exciting lineup of conferences, workshops, community events, and guest speakers, Anchorage Design Week 2025 is set to be an inspiring and impactful gathering. Join us as we explore the future of design, celebrate creativity, and connect with our community in ways that make a lasting difference.
Why visit
Anchorage Design Week is an unparalleled opportunity to be part of a global conversation on design and its role in shaping communities.
In Anchorage, you can experience Alaska’s unique winter landscape & creative energy. Moreover, you can be inspired by cutting-edge design & innovation. Anchorage Design Week isn’t just about design – it’s about place, identity, and the future of Northern regions. Coinciding with Anchorage Fur Rendezvous in late February, this event allows you to experience one of Alaska’s most beloved winter festivals alongside a dynamic gathering of creative minds.
You can also engage with community-driven projects and make an impact; learn from world-class speakers and experts, build meaningful connections and expand your network, and finally discover the latest trends, materials and innovations.
Anchorage Design Week
February 20-23, 2025
Anchorage Design is for professional and general public
Most events are free entrance, with registration, some require an entry fee
It takes place in different venues, different hours
Visit AnchorageMuseum.org website for more info
Below: the SeedLab, one of the venue
