Casa do Design opened its doors on 30 June, 2016 with the exhibition BURILADA | artefacts for survival. Since then, Casa do Design has been establishing itself as a pivotal space for exhibiting, disseminating and producing critical knowledge on design, with a particular focus on Portuguese design. A regular programme is presented, with exhibitions that stimulate reflection and debate on contemporary design culture, and also research, collect and preserve historical knowledge linked to the evolution of the different design fields.

The project results from a partnership between the Matosinhos Municipality and esad–idea, Research in Design and Art (the research centre of ESAD – College of Arts and Design). It seeks to assert itself by opening up to different areas, themes and audiences, but also by being receptive to new proposals and future partnerships, thus strengthening the dimension of a space that aims to be of both national and international scope and relevance.

Among the various exhibitions of recent years, some of the most appealing are: Motos de Portugal (2017), a cultural experience around the national production of motorbikes and mopeds reflecting Portuguese society; Imprimere – Arte e Processo nos 250 anos da Imprensa Nacional (2018), a joint organisation with Imprensa Nacional for its 250th anniversary; SINAL – 100 Anos de Design das Telecomunicações e dos Correios em Portugal (2019), with Altice and CTT – Correios de Portugal; Portugal Pop. A moda em português. 1970-2020 (2022), a co-production with MUDE – Museum do Design e da Moda, an exhibition about Portuguese fashion and its multiple references and influences over the last 50 years.

Casa do Design is also one of the main venues of Porto Design Biennale, an international event for the dissemination and promotion of the culture and practice of design promoted by the municipalities of Porto and Matosinhos and organised by esad—idea. In 2019, 2021 and 2023, it hosted three of the main exhibitions: Frontiere — Expressões Design Contemporâneo, part of the Territorio Italia programme – in 2019 Italy was the guest country; Museu da Matéria Viva, one of the main points of reflection on alter-realities; and Petrichor, o Cheiro da Chuva, the main exhibition of the last edition, which took place under the theme Ser Água.

It also has a shop area where exhibition catalogues and merchandising are available, among other design and art publications, and a selection of Portuguese design objects curated by esad-idea.