RM2026 sofia
28.02.2026 Regional Meeting
BulgariaThe International Council of Design (ICoD) is delighted to announce its first-ever Regional Meeting in Balkan Europe, in collaboration with the European Design Festival. The theme, Confessions of a Designer: Design, Decisions and Impact, invites participants to candidly discuss the realities of decision-making in design.
Decision-making is rarely unbiased and constantly changes as our knowledge, values, and accountability evolve. Today, our perceptions of the ‘right’ design choices are influenced by human sensitivity, AI, and institutions. In this meeting, we will explore how we set the criteria, who gets to decide, and what makes them decide. It will also explore how awareness or blind spots affect public life and tangible benefits.
Participants are encouraged to reflect on their design approaches, acknowledging the vulnerabilities and agency inherent in design as a decision-making practice. Through shared confessions, comparative mapping, and dialogue, we will identify patterns, ethical questions, and insights into how design decisions shape institutions, technologies, and collective futures in Balkan Europe and beyond.
Regional Meetings offer platforms for ICoD Members and other stakeholders to discuss shared regional challenges. By connecting these perspectives with international experiences through insights shared and compared across different contexts, they foster dialogue, exchange and a common cause within ICoD’s global design network.
THEME: Confessions of a Designer
Design, decisions, and impact
DATE: 11 June 2026
Held as part of the European Design Festival
ICoD RM2026 attendees receive a 35% discount on EDF tickets
VENUE: Soho, Sofia, Bulgaria
Photo credit: Ivan Shishiev / Visit Sofia
PROGRAMME OVERVIEW
Registration
09:00 – 09:30
Morning — Framing & Decoding Design Decisions
09:30 – 09:40
Welcome & Context Setting
Prof. Melike Taşcıoğlu Vaughan
Opening remarks situating the meeting theme “Confessions of a Designer: Design as Decision‑Making and Public Impact”. Introducing the purpose of ICoD Regional Meetings and outlining the day: an exploration of how decisions are formed, informed, and transformed within design practice.
09:40 – 10:00
“Between Context and Realities: Designing Narrative Space”
Samina Tanovic
Tanovic explores spatial design as a framework for shaping narrative, perception, and collective experience within cultural contexts. Through personal reflections and selected exhibition and spatial design projects, the presentation addresses tensions between vision and limitation, permanence and improvisation, authorship and collaboration.
10:05 – 10:25
“Passion as a motivator”
Maria Todorova
Todorova examines passion and curiosity as the engines of creative growth, and the quiet trap that success sets for those who reach it. Drawing on over two decades leading NEXT-DC, an independent digital creative agency working with global brands, the talk confronts the fear of failure, the pull of conformism, and why genuine surprise remains the most persuasive force in any creative's arsenal.
10:30 – 10:50
Coffee Break
10:50 – 11:15
“Process, Filter, Control”
Stefan Hürlemann
Hürlemann examines the designer's role as guide and filter — the one who absorbs complexity, so clients do not have to. Through project examples from Skala Design, the talk explores how much process should be visible, when transparency serves the work, and when it undermines it. At its core, it is a reflection on what it means to give direction rather than simply follow instruction.
11:20 – 11:45
“Inside & Outside: Ethics and Method in a Professional Community Under the Pressure of War”
Olexandra Korchevska-Tsekhosh
Korchevska-Tsekhosh examines what it means to practice design in a country at war — where decisions once considered neutral now carry reputational and ethical weight. The talk navigates questions of intellectual property, professional advocacy, and the coloniality of representation that continues to shape how Ukrainian visibility is constructed within design discourse.
12:30 – 13:30
Lunch break
Afternoon — Global Perspectives & Decision Practices
13:30-16:30
Decisions in real-time: mapping discussions on disruptions that affect design today
Facilitated by Kyle Rath, Jonas Liugaila and Qin Du
In this interactive session, Liugaila, Rath, and Du offer reflections on the findings of ICoD’s preparatory survey surrounding the impact of geopolitical, economic, and technological disruptions on design. The presentation is largely discussion-led with a focus on distilling real and relevant examples in design today.
16:30 – 16:45
Closing Remarks
Melike Taşcıoğlu Vaughan
Taşcıoğlu Vaughan closes the day by drawing together the threads of a conversation that moved from individual practice to collective responsibility. The remarks reflect what was heard, what remains unresolved, and why the work of designing better decisions begins here.
Photo credit: Ivan Shishiev / Visit Sofia
ACCOMMODATION IN SOFIA
Sofia offers a wide range of accommodation options, from premium hotels to more budget-friendly choices, all within easy reach of the event venues. For the European Design Awards 2026, we have selected a number of partner hotels offering preferential rates for participants, conveniently located either within walking distance of the main venues (Soho & Toplocentrala) or with direct and easy transport access.
Participants are encouraged to book their stay for the period 10–15 June 2026, depending on their travel plans. All reservations are made individually, using the booking code: EDA26
GRAND HOTEL MILLENNIUM SOFIA
A premium hotel offering high-end accommodation within walking distance of the event venues. 89B Vitosha Blvd. (5–7 minutes walking distance to NDK). www.ghms.bg
Rates (BB): Exclusive Room: €160 (single) / €185 (double), Premium Room: €175 / €200, Premium Plus Room: €195 / €220. Availability: subject to availability
Booking: Book directly via the following link (code EDA26 applies):
http://bookings.ihotelier.com/bookings.jsp?groupID=5210236&hotelID=110569
Rate validity: until 26 April 2026
ROSSLYN CENTRAL PARK HOTEL SOFIA
Located directly on Vitosha Boulevard, this hotel offers immediate proximity to the main event venues and the vibrant city centre. 106 Vitosha Blvd. (150 m from NDK).https://centralparkhotel.bg/
Rates (BB): Single & Double rooms: 12% dynamic discount off Best Available Rate (BAR)
(Rates vary depending on availability and booking period)
Approximate availability: 40–50 rooms
Booking:
Book directly via the following link using code EDA26:
https://centralparkhotel.book-onlinenow.net/index.aspx?Page=1
Rate validity: until 8 June 2026
HOTEL SVETA SOFIA
A centrally located hotel offering good value accommodation, with direct public transport connections to the event area. 18 Pirotska Street (approx. 1.8 km from NDK) https://hotelsvetasofia.com/
Rates (BB): Single: €64, Double: €74, Approximate availability: 25 rooms
Booking:
Reservations can be made via email using code EDA26 in the subject.
Contact: marketing@hotelsvetasofia.com
Rate validity: until 25 May 2026
HOW TO GET THERE
Sofia is easily accessible via Sofia International Airport (SOF), located approximately 20–30 minutes from the city centre.
By taxi: The most convenient option. Licensed taxis are available outside the arrivals area (approx. €10–15 to the city centre).
By metro: Line M4 connects the airport directly to the city centre (station NDK), with a travel time of around 20-30 minutes.
By bus: Several public bus lines operate between the airport and central Sofia.
All partner hotels are located in central areas with easy access to Soho, NDK and Toplocentrala, either on foot or via direct public transport connections.
Notes for Participants
All rates include bed & breakfast (BB)
Availability is limited and subject to booking deadlines set by each hotel.
As rooms are not pre-blocked, early booking is strongly recommended.
TRAVELLING TO SOFIA
All guests of the European Design Festival can benefit from an exclusive 10% discount on flights with Bulgaria Air.
To receive your discount, please send a request to callfb@air.bg including the following details:
Full name (as in passport)
Travel type (one-way or round-trip)
Route (departure and destination)
Travel dates
Please make sure to include the code MELBA26 in your email, so it can be applied to your booking and help us track the number of guests using the offer.
For further information please contact:
Events@theicod.org