IDS Vancouver 2026 is back and will be at the Vancouver Convention Centre West from September 24-27, 2026.
IDS is North America’s premier design platform, where visionary brands converge with an influential community of 25,000 discerning professionals and design enthusiasts. Here are a selection of top things to see at this year’s exhibit:
1. STILL/not still – Experience the Central Bar by Synthesis Design The heart of the show returns with an immersive installation by Synthesis Design Architecture. Constructed entirely from British Columbia wood, the dramatic Central Bar features soaring 12-foot interlocking arches that celebrate BC’s forestry sector, craftsmanship and design innovation.
2. Reflection – Walk Through Stark Architecture’s Entrance Feature IDS Vancouver’s entrance feature, Reflection, designed and built by award-winning Vancouver architecture firm STARK, invites attendees to explore the interplay between light, stillness, and self-awareness in a thought-provoking installation that defies singular interpretation. Reflection refuses a single definition, existing simultaneously as the light returning, the moment of stillness before a thought takes shape, and what a surface quietly reveals about the one standing before it. STARK returns to IDS Vancouver after creating the celebrated Perpetua Bar in 2024, a 27-foot circular beacon on the show floor that earned an Award of Excellence in the 2025 IDIBC awards and garnered widespread media attention.
3. Nature Adopted – Discover a New Landscape Installation by Andrew van Egmond Landscape architect Andrew van Egmond, founder of Designing Landscape, debuts a new feature exploring circularity, climate adaptability and the relationship between contemporary architecture and the natural environment. His thoughtful, sensory approach offers a fresh perspective on the future of landscape design.
4. Hear from Global Design Leaders on the Keynote Stage IDS Vancouver’s keynote program brings together some of the industry’s most influential voices, including:
- Michael Sørensen, Global Market Director, Henning Larsen
- Nancy Bendtsen, Inform Interiors
- Chad Falkenberg and Kelly Reynolds, Falken Reynolds
- Tommy Smythe in conversation with Kelly Deck
- May Globus, recording live episodes of The Craft
- James Harry, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh artist and designer
5. Discover Tomorrow’s Designers at Studio North
Studio North showcases exceptional custom work and limited-edition collections from Canada’s leading independent designers and international talent. From furniture and lighting to ceramics, textiles and surface design, the gallery-like exhibition highlights craftsmanship, originality and collectible contemporary design.
6. See Ideas Before They Hit the Market at Prototype Prototype offers a glimpse into the future of product design, featuring experimental furniture, lighting and home products that are not yet in production. Curated for IDS Vancouver, the exhibition highlights emerging designers and bold concepts pushing residential design forward.
7. Shop Emerging Brands in The District The District is IDS Vancouver’s curated marketplace, bringing together design-forward brands and independent makers showcasing furniture, lighting, home accessories, textiles and décor. It’s the place to discover new products, meet the people behind the brands and shop thoughtfully designed pieces with an emphasis on craftsmanship, innovation and sustainability.
8. The IDS Party Returns
IDS Vancouver kicks off with the return of The IDS Party presented by Bravada Homes on Thursday, September 24. Taking place directly on the show floor, the opening-night event brings together the city’s design community, industry leaders and creative minds for an evening of drinks, music, installations and entertainment surrounded by leading design brands from Canada and around the world. This year’s party will feature music by Girl on Wax, and performances by Zynth Entertainment throughout the night. The Central Bar by Synthesis will be in full swing as the networking hub of the show, and the seminar space by Gensler and Hush will be temporarily transformed into a listening room, with a performance by DJ J.”Freeky” P. Pascual.
9. ILLUMINATE
IDS is pleased to announce the return of ILLUMINATE for the 2026 show. The feature will once again be curated by ThinkL Lighting Studio. Featuring a dramatic industrial scaffold structure, ILLUMINATE creates the perfect backdrop for showcasing cutting-edge design and innovation.
IDS Vancouver 2026
Vancouver Convention Centre West
September 24 – 27, 2026
https://interiordesignshow.com/vancouver/
