André Ricard Takes Centre Stage in a New Exhibition at DHub Barcelona

The Museu del Disseny opens one of the most eagerly anticipated exhibitions in its annual programme.

André Ricard. Design in Use traces the career of André Ricard, one of the pioneering and most influential figures in the history of contemporary design in Catalonia. An undisputed leading figure, his legacy has left a profound mark and has had a significant influence on subsequent generations of designers.

The exhibition places everyday life at the heart of the creative process and champions the use of objects as the driving force behind design: products conceived to be used, whose form must respond to their function and serve people’s needs.

The exhibition explores his work from two complementary perspectives that reveal the enduring relevance of his legacy. On the one hand, it presents a selection of utilitarian objects with an iconic, timeless style, displayed within the everyday settings for which they were designed. On the other, it highlights the principles and values that have shaped his professional practice, as well as his work as a theorist, communicator and advocate of Catalan and Spanish design. These aspects of his career are less visible, yet fundamental to understanding the full scope of his work.

Design is thus presented as a discipline that entails a social commitment and focuses on how people use objects, beyond passing fashions and trends. It reflects an approach to design that prioritises functionality, coherence and the timeless quality of the objects it creates.

With an educational and informative approach that also encourages reflection, André Ricard. Design in Use invites visitors to reconsider the role of design in contemporary society and reflect on the responsibility of those who practise it: designing for people, responding to their needs and putting critical thinking at the service of the common good.

Produced by Disseny Hub Barcelona, La Fábrica and FAD, and curated by Marina Povedano and Arnau Pascual.

André Ricard. Design in Use
DHub Barcelona
29/10/2026 – 14/03/2027