Annual Exhibition of the
German Design Graduates 2026
The title of the exhibition, which opens at Die Neue Sammlung – The Design Museum on 16 October, refers to an expression that circulates in online culture as a succinct response to contradictions and a sense of being overwhelmed: “Make It Make Sense”. Often accompanied by exaggerated images or ironic formats, the phrase marks the moment when something no longer adds up and calls for clarification. Applied to design, “Make It Make Sense” describes an engagement with the complexity of the world. The central question is: How can design make complex relationships visible and accessible?
As part of the exhibition, the German Design Graduates initiative presents 71 final-year projects from 28 German universities, spanning product and industrial design, communication and digital design, as well as textile and fashion design. The projects address contradictions and uncertainties, highlighting how a new generation of designers responds to social and technological change and offering a glimpse into the questions that may shape the discipline in the future.
“Make It Make Sense” is curated by Katrin Krupka and Leonie Zebe of the German Design Graduates initiative, together with an internal committee of the German Design Council. In addition, four experts from Die Neue Sammlung each select a personal highlight from the 71 exhibits. Their selections bring together different museum perspectives and draw attention to works that extend beyond the context in which they were originally created.
Complementary Programme
The exhibition is accompanied by an extensive programme focused on exchange and networking. Workshops and a roundtable explore topics including design implementation, circular design, branding and design research, bringing graduates directly into contact with companies and institutions that commission, communicate and research design. Programme partners include BMW Group, Nils Holger Moormann GmbH, bayern design and the Institute for Design Research and Appliance (IfDRA). Networking formats and individual support opportunities provide further opportunities for exchange.
Tours for school students and prospective students add another perspective to the programme: they offer insights into current final-year projects and provide guidance on different design degree programmes.
