Creative capital: Dumbo to be crowned ‘NYC Design District’ during NYCxDESIGN’s festival finale

As the sun sets on New York City’s annual design celebration, Dumbo will take center stage.

On Wednesday, May 21 — the final day of the 13th annual NYCxDESIGN Festival — the waterfront neighborhood will be officially recognized as a New York City Design District, joining a growing list of creative hubs across the five boroughs.

The designation highlights Dumbo’s role in shaping the city’s design identity and comes as the NYCxDESIGN Festival transforms New York into a global design destination from May 15–21. The weeklong event features more than 20 programs, including studio tours, panels, grand openings, book signings, a walking tour of indie design shops, and nighttime art projections on the Manhattan Bridge. TheDUMBOxDesign closing party will wrap the festivities.

The festival celebrates Dumbo’s contributions to the city’s art and design scene. File photo courtesy of the Dumbo Improvement District

Participating companies include Henrybuilt, Mark Jupiter, Hudson Wilder, Pensa, ZAROLAT, Post Company, Reform, BIG, M Collection, JAM Architecture, Snøhetta, Mammoth Design, Block Renovation and others.

This year’s theme, “Design is for Everyone,” reflects the festival’s ongoing focus on inclusivity and accessibility in the design world.

“Dumbo has earned its new title,” said Ilene Shaw, executive director of NYCxDESIGN. “While the former industrial hub has long been attracting architecture and design creatives and artists, there has been a significant uptick in activity in recent years that has not gone unnoticed. So many firms based in the neighborhood will be opening their doors on DUMBOxDesign Day to make the celebration more special than ever.”

Once an industrial waterfront, Dumbo is now home to more than 150 architecture and design firms — giving it what may be the highest concentration of designers in any New York City neighborhood.

“While the neighborhood’s reputation as a creative hub dates back to its industrial roots, in recent years we have seen a significant increase in architecture and design studios joining this creative community, and we are proud to see the new culmination of activity resulting in Dumbo’s official recognition as a design district,” said Jed Walentas, Principal of Two Trees Management. “The NYCxDESIGN Festival and DUMBOxDesign Day will showcase our city’s extraordinary creative talent and celebrate a community integral to New York City’s cultural landscape.”

Dumbo has been transformed from an industrial neighborhood to a hub of art and design. File photo courtesy of New York City Municipal Archives

Founded by the City of New York, NYCxDESIGN aims to spotlight the city’s vibrant design community on a global stage. Past festivals have drawn an average of 160,000 attendees and featured more than 1,000 participating designers. This year, the spotlight is on Brooklyn, with the debut of DUMBOxDesign Day and a range of programs celebrating the borough’s creative talent.

“[Dumbo] has a unique flavor that I think you can only find in a few neighborhoods in New York, which is this sort of glimpse into the best parts of the past in New York, while also still looking forward,” said Joseph McGuier, co-principal of JAM Architecture. “It is that sort of combination of history and progress that I love, and it is a beautiful neighborhood.”