The circular economy starts with design!

The Circular Design Summit 2025 brings together top innovators from business, industry, and design, all with a shared goal: combining economic success with environmental sustainability.

Discover how circular design – the heart of the circular economy – is transforming industries, and learn how you can play a key role in shaping this change. Through inspiring masterclasses and keynotes, you’ll explore cutting-edge solutions and have the chance to connect with leading experts from a range of sectors. Be part of the movement and help us shape the future!

How well positioned is design research in Germany?

The study ‘On the Practice of Design Research in Germany 2024’ (Zur Praxis der Designforschung in Deutschland) published by the German Design Council clearly shows that, in an international comparison, German design research still has considerable potential for improvement. At the same time, the study shows that design research can help not only to strengthen design practice, but also to significantly increase the innovative strength of companies.

The new study by the Institute for Design Research and Appliance (IfDRA) offers exciting insights and concrete recommendations on how design research can promote innovation and transformation in companies.

(Download is currently only available in German)

‘Linking together clever ideas for ensuring efficient (re)usability of products on the one hand, with a design that is functional on the other, will unlock tremendous economic power.’

Dr Rober Habeck, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection

What are the stories behind strong brands? The German Design Council offers a comprehensive overview of the German brand landscape and shows how The Major German Brands 2025 - pushing circular design. is shaping our common future sustainably with circular design and transformative approaches. With exciting company portraits and inspiring examples of best practice.

Our German Innovation Award is going into the next round and is now opening its registration and submission portal.

The German Innovation Award of the German Design Council honours international and cross-sector products, projects and pioneering achievements that sustainably improve life through innovation and progress. From green mobility, digital healthcare and new work to exceptional engineering achievements in all areas - every innovation counts. Because positive AS nderstandings that influence and enrich the lives of the most diverse target groups have always come about through innovation. The German Innovation Award provides a platform for these innovative solutions and shows where innovations can take us.

We are delighted to be part of the global community of the Cumulus Association. The organisation sees itself as a dynamic ecosystem that promotes knowledge exchange and collaboration in art and design, as well as research and practice. Our membership was approved by the Board at the "Preferences in Design" conference in Budapest a few days ago, alongside other international universities and design institutions. We are contributing our international network of newcomers and are looking forward to future collaborations.

We have new dates for you with exciting topics - take a look, remember and register now!

Our popular format Walk The Talk is an exclusive online event for our foundation members. In this format, we facilitate a short and content-rich exchange on the topics of brand, digitalisation, design and innovation. Guests from well-known names in industry and business give a keynote speech and then answer the participants' questions.
 

Conference ‘Shaping society! Social sustainability through design’

Where does the German design industry stand today in processes of social sustainability? At the one-day conference, interdisciplinary experts will discuss branding and design concepts in this discipline.
 

The presentations will be held in German. The event will be streamed and participants will be able to contribute questions and comments via live chat.

The World Design Organization™ (WDO), based in Montreal, Canada, announced that Frankfurt and the RheinMain Region will become World Design Capital for the year 2026.

Frankfurt RheinMain was nominated with the content concept Design for Democrcacy. Atmospheres for a better life, along with Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, was one of the two finalists selected by the WDO's international committee, which represents all continents, and prevailed with its concept.

The German Design Council is a partner of the initiative and, together with the implementation company under the direction of Prof. Matthias Wagner K, is delighted about the well-deserved project award.

In the new Design Perspectives Podcast, personalities from design, brand management and architecture reveal in inspiring conversations how they use design to drive transformation, sustainability and economic success.

Episode 5 – How is design leadership shaping the automotive future?

The state of the automotive industry, the use of AI and circular design - the new podcast episode with Julia de Bono sheds light on the work and philosophy of DesignWorks, BMW's creative unit. The Managing Director also talks openly with Moritz Marder about her management style, the challenges of intercultural communication and reveals what she sees as the key to innovation.
 

>> The podcast is held in German.