About Us

The Design Lab at UC San Diego is an anchor design institution within the San Diego-Tijuana region that pairs design education and research with community needs to create positive, impactful real-world solutions and design-driven innovations.

Mission

To foster design-driven transformation by educating design leaders, imagining alternative futures, and equipping people and communities with the knowledge, tools, and opportunities to address the most pressing societal challenges.

Vision

To transcend disciplinary boundaries and pioneer new frontiers in the international landscape of design research, education, and practice to create an inclusive, just, and sustainable future for people and the planet.

Design Philosophy

There are many design models and frameworks used by skilled designers and educators around the world. In the Design Lab, we believe that there are different ways of seeking knowledge. Whether it be consulting indigenous elders or through scientific inquiry, we start from a phase of discovery and wonder that opens our minds to limitless possibilities. We are lifelong learners and therefore continual education, for all members of the Lab, is essential. We design with, not for, the community, thus co-creating designs is key. Once we prototype, iterate, and iterate again, we scale our designs for social transformation. 

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