Language

English

Start date

July 2026

Frequency

Part-time

Fruition

On campus

Duration

2 Weeks

Course Coordination

Joan Maroto-Sales

A journey to discover what’s involved in Product, Interior and Graphic Design, taking a look at processes, tools and techniques you can use to turn your ideas into projects.

This Global Design Junior Course (EN), taught in English, is a Summer Course designed for students aged 15 to 18 who want to experience an introduction to design in Barcelona. Throughout the programme, you will approach design through making, testing and experimenting, discovering its potential as a tool to observe reality, ask questions and respond to contemporary challenges.

If you are interested in design but are not yet sure which discipline to choose—graphic, product, interior or visual design—this course allows you to explore different design fields before committing to a specific academic path. You will work across disciplines, understanding how different approaches connect and interact with social, cultural and material contexts.

During the course, you will develop individual and group projects that help you build creative and critical thinking skills, while producing work that can form the basis of a first portfolio for future design studies.

Information to decide

Experience an international summer in Barcelona and discover design as a transversal practice connected to contemporary reality. By working with product, interior and visual design, you will explore your creativity while gaining clarity about your future academic path.

 

The programme is structured into six units that combine theory, experimentation and project-based learning. You will begin by exploring the historical, social and cultural context of design and progressively move into material experimentation, design studios and fabrication processes.

Contents are developed in a progressive and interconnected way. The course concludes with a small collective exhibition presenting three main projects: the design and prototyping of a product, the design and construction of exhibition spaces, and the creation of a fanzine accompanied by a process video.

This course is aimed at students aged 15 to 18 who are defining their future academic path and are curious about different design disciplines.

It is ideal if you want to explore your creative or artistic potential through a first pre-university experience, regardless of the studies you may choose in the future.

This course offers you a first real and guided experience in the world of design, allowing you to explore different disciplines before committing to a specific academic path. Through hands-on practice, experimentation and teamwork, you will discover design as a tool to interpret reality and respond to contemporary challenges.

You will experience an international summer in Barcelona, working alongside other creative students, while developing projects that help you gain confidence, broaden your perspective and begin building a portfolio that reflects your creative potential.

Syllabus

Unit 1. History, Sociology and Context

·        Introduction to Design History

·        Design History: Analysis and Context

·        Sociology: Analytical Tools

·        Cartography Workshop

·        Design History and Context: Research



Unit 2. Material Experimentation

·        Experimental Workshop: Colour

·        Experimental Workshop: Material

·        Experimental Workshop: Form

·        Experimental Workshop: Light

·        Experimental Workshop: Body–Space



Unit 3. Design Studios

·        Product Design

·        Interior Design

·        Visual Design



Unit 4. Fabrication

·        Fabrication Workshop: Subtractive Processes

·        Fabrication Workshop: Additive Processes

·        Fabrication Workshop: Manipulation (cutting, folding, etc.). Models

·        Digital Fabrication Workshop (optional)



Unit 5. Guided Autonomous Project Studio

·        Autonomous project work developed with tutor guidance



Unit 6. Guided Exhibition Setup

·        Exhibition setup with the support of the IED team

Faculty

Course Coordinator

Joan Maroto-Sales

PhD in Architectural Projects

News

16 June 2026

Bilbao and Turin Design the Future of Glass Packaging Together

An international Product Design project brings together students from IED Torino and IED Kunsthal Bilbao to tackle a real-world design challenge, from concept development to prototyping

15 June 2026

Eight ADG Laus Awards for IED Spain Students

IED Madrid, IED Barcelona and IED Kunsthal Bilbao won two Gold, four Silver and two Bronze awards at the 56th ADG Laus Awards, reaffirming the creative talent driving the next generation of designers.

15 June 2026

Three IED alumni among the winners of the iF Design Student Award 2026

Three alumni from IED Kunsthal Bilbao and IED Madrid have been recognised in the iF Design Student Award 2026, one of the world's leading international competitions for emerging design talent.

12 June 2026

Issue 3: Future Memories - Plural Intelligences

What will we choose to remember from the present we are living through? This is the starting point of the third issue of Notes on Plural Intelligences – Future Memories.

09 June 2026

Creativity in motion: the IED.60 Public Programme gets underway

June marks a special moment for IED: the Public Program IED.60 is in full swing, with a rich calendar of events spanning fashion, design, illustration and visual arts, bringing talks, exhibitions and open events to Milan, Rome, Florence and New York for the IED community and the wider public.

08 June 2026

IED among the Top Design Schools 2026 according to Calibre Careers: european Network, industry connections and educational excellence

The international careers observatory analyses the Institute’s educational model, combining global recognition with the historic pillars of hands-on, laboratory-based teaching.

29 May 2026

"Minimizing impact is no longer enough: design must regenerate and create value for the planet" Carlos San José Frutos, Industrial Designer

Carlos San José Frutos, a renowned expert in ecodesign and the circular economy, whose professional career includes leading sustainable projects and educating new generations of designers. He now brings an essential perspective on the role of design in industrial transformation as Coordinator of the Official Master’s Degree in Product Design and Ecodesign

29 May 2026

IED Kunsthal Bilbao and Orbea Imagine the Bicycle of the Future Together with the Next Generation of Designers

Students from the Bachelor of Arts in Product Design and Graphic Design at IED Kunsthal Bilbao collaborated with Orbea, a historic Basque company and an internationally recognised leader in the cycling industry, on a project imagining what bicycles might look like in 2040, coinciding with the company’s upcoming 200th anniversary.

28 May 2026

IED Barcelona Undergraduate Graduation Ceremony 2026

It will take place on Thursday, 18 June at 4:45 pm at Paral·lel 62 theatre.

Don't miss it

Exhibitions and Festival

28 April 2026 - 30 September 2026

Barcelona

“Caliu” in “Matter Matters. Designing with the World”

The project “Caliu”, by IED Barcelona alumnus Judith Aubà, has been selected to form part of this exhibition, which reflects on the major challenges facing design today and in the future at a critical time marked by the scarcity of raw materials.

Exhibitions and Festival

12 June 2026 - 19 June 2026

Barcelona

“In-Between: Rethinking Objects in a Physical–Digital World” - Product Design Exhibition

La Casa de la Llum (Simón) will exhibit the winning thesis and the two finalists of the 3rd edition of the IED Alfaro Hofmann Collection Prize.

Projects Presentation

02 July 2026 - 02 July 2026

Bilbao

Degree Show 2026 at IED Kunsthal Bilbao

On 2 July, IED Kunsthal Bilbao will celebrate the third edition of its Degree Show, showcasing the final projects of its Design students. Exhibitions, a Fashion Show and opportunities to connect with professionals in a day open to the wider community.

Exhibitions and Festival

13 July 2026 - 13 July 2026

Madrid

IED Madrid Graduation Day 2026

The IED Madrid community comes together to celebrate the end of the 2025–2026 academic year and the achievements of its graduating students.