During the final weeks of 2023, Diseño UDD hosted three fairs where over 500 students exhibited a thousand works.

As the academic year draws to a close, UDD Design School aims to encourage students to showcase the work they have completed during the last semester of their degree. This enables them to exchange ideas, knowledge, and experiences. In addition to the traditional Expo D, which features work from all our program offerings, we hosted two fairs run by students in the Graphic Design and Digital Interaction Design programs.

The first event was the Folia D fair, organised by the Graphic Design department, which marked the initial milestone of the Design Month celebrations in our country. Its primary purpose was to showcase and celebrate the creative talent of students. Throughout an intense day of work, various projects were set up and exhibited, accompanied by workshops and talks given by prominent speakers. Students actively participated in a range of workshops, such as «Engraving Rubber Carving» presented by Professor Isadora Díaz, «Stencil Bag» organised by Professor Julio Moya, «Typographic Printing Workshop» led by Professor Andrea Torres, and «Creative Collage» presented by designer and illustrator Tita Bianchi.

Representatives from leading design companies such as Papel de Alerce, Adobe, Rata Estudio, Surge, Monarch, and Antalis led the talks. In addition, designers and UDD alumni Cristóbal Larraín and Danae Alé shared their experiences with the participants.

Towards the end of the event, a closing ceremony was held in the Aula Magna of the University, which the major’s parents and collaborators attended. The dean of UDD Design, Alejandra Amenábar, emphasised that «the purpose of this event has always been to promote the talent and creativity of our students, and I am sure we have achieved it. We have witnessed their efforts in their projects, and the result is simply impressive. Every design and idea we have seen today reflects the dedication and great capacity of our UDD Design community. We have witnessed the effort that they have invested in their projects, and the result is simply impressive».

Maria Jose Williamson, the director of the First Year Common Plan and the Graphic Design Program, stated, «We have witnessed the dedication and talent of our students, which were on full display today. The workshops and industry speakers were remarkable, and they enriched our knowledge. It also reminded us that design is a continuously evolving discipline».

Tech fair

The inaugural edition of Tech Fair D was a resounding success. The fair was organised by students from the Digital Interaction Design major and showcased a range of fascinating and innovative projects from both students and teachers. The main objective of this event was to foster connections between the academic and professional communities, underscoring the significance of digital transformation, a key pillar of this field.

«Digital transformation is a necessary process that revolutionises how organisations function and create value. It encompasses implementing digital technologies, including artificial intelligence, data analytics, and automation, to enhance efficiency, flexibility, and innovation. This process significantly impacts businesses, education, and the technological future,» explains Germán Espinoza, Director of the Digital Interaction Design programme.

At Tech Fair D, concrete examples of how design merges with technology, electronics, mechanics, and programming to create innovative digital interfaces, interactive experiences and efficient solutions for communities could be seen. Among the outstanding projects are an application developed for the Municipality of La Reina and the «Technological Birds» project, a collaboration between students and professors of the Digital Interaction and Spaces and Objects majors.

The closing event was attended by students, parents, and authorities from Universidad del Desarrollo. It consisted of a fair tour featuring six rooms designed for an immersive experience. Federico Valdés, president; Daniel Contesse, vice-rector of UDD; Alejandra Amenábar, dean of the Design School; Germán Espinoza, director of the Digital Interaction Design major, as well as the directors of the school, were all present at the event.

For Amenábar, this fair reflects the innovative spirit of the degree and its professors in training new generations of designers. «As UDD Design, our commitment is to prepare students for the challenges and opportunities of the technological future. This involves not only transmitting knowledge but also fostering an adaptive mindset and the ability to learn continuously in an ever-changing environment».

Expo D

As has become a tradition, the Design School organises Expo D, the annual exhibition of students’ best work in graphic design, fashion and management, spaces and objects, digital interaction, and first-year plan sections.

This exhibition aims to showcase the top proposals students submit in response to assignments given by their professors across various subjects. These proposals were produced during the last semester of the previous year and the first semester of the current year.

The directors of the UDD Design campuses in Santiago and Concepción curated the exhibition, selecting work among nearly 400 projects on each campus, and it is being held simultaneously.