A remodelled building

In 2011, the IED moved to its current location, the former Macson textile factory, in the Vila de Gràcia neighbourhood. Originally built in 1894, it was converted into a 5,000 m² facility where IED Design, IED Fashion, IED Visual Communication and IED Management for Creative Industries alloperate independently while maintaining the ongoing design-for-all philosophy-based dialogue promoted by the school.

The original industrial character of the building has been preserved and it can be visited at weekends.

A pioneering system in Europe

The IED was founded in Milan in 1966 by Francesco Morelli, who envisaged an international school that would show designers how to be competitive on a global scale. Nearly 50 years later, IED Barcelona is a multinational centre that attracts approximately 700 foreign students every year.

The Institute encourages students to seek inspiration from the visual reality that surrounds them and to learn how to identify new trends, shifts and innovation wherever they go, without losing sight of local and global market needs. In this context, IED Barcelona participates in events such as 48H Open House BCN, 080 Barcelona Fashion and The Brandery.