Post by Designworks, A BMW Group Company

The 2026 Rising Talent Route 66 Program is officially underway! Following our program announcement, we were thrilled to host 20 of Los Angeles County’s brightest university students at our studio to kick off this year’s design challenge. The energy in the room was palpable as students officially met their teams, received their briefs, and began diving into the history and journey of Route 66. This cohort represents an incredible mix of creative disciplines—bringing together perspectives from architecture, graphic design, interior design, and technology. Watching these distinct backgrounds collaborate right out of the gate is exactly why this program exists; complex spatial challenges require multifaceted solutions. Over the coming weeks, these teams will be working intensely to re-envision Santa Monica’s "The End of the Trail," transforming a single parking stall into a vibrant, interactive community destination. A huge thank you to our incredible partner LA-Tech.org for joining us in the studio to mentor and inspire these students as they take their first steps from concept to reality. We also extend our gratitude to the City of Santa Monica and the Los Angeles County Department of Economic Opportunity for their continued, invaluable support. The journey has officially begun. Stay tuned as we share behind-the-scenes process moments, workshop highlights, and the evolution of these next-generation urban experiences. Here’s to the next 100 years of design innovation in LA! #designchallenge #route66 #designcollaboration #spatialdesign #urbandesign #architecture #graphicdesign #losangelesdesign #futureoflosangeles #100yearsofroute66