VDID Annual Conference 2026
We live in a time of rapid technological, ecological and social change. Design is no longer concerned solely with individual products, but increasingly shapes the conditions and processes through which social and economic change takes place. What opportunities and responsibilities does this create for designers? This is the question at the heart of the VDID Annual Conference 2026, held under the title “The Transformative Power of Design”.
On 30 and 31 October 2026, experts from design, business, politics and public administration will come together at Circle Cube in Offenbach to discuss how design can develop approaches to global challenges and contribute to a democratic future. Whether students, professionals or interested visitors, the conference’s interdisciplinary and inclusive formats bring together people of different ages, backgrounds and fields. The aim is to highlight design as a field for shaping sustainability, innovation and democratic values, while developing future perspectives for design education and practice.
The first day of the conference focuses on design education and design practice, examining the shift from designing individual products towards addressing broader social contexts. Panels, a keynote and networking sessions will explore topics including the future of design education and the role of design in processes of transformation. The keynote will be delivered by Prof. Dr Christa Liedtke, Professor of Sustainability in Design at the University of Wuppertal.
The second day centres on a participatory, forward-looking BarCamp. Participants will work together to develop questions and approaches to the major areas of transformation in design: sustainability, artificial intelligence, business and ethics. Open sessions allow participants to contribute their own topics and actively shape the programme.
The VDID Annual Conference 2026 takes place as part of World Design Capital Frankfurt RheinMain 2026 and is supported by the Hessian Ministry for Economic Affairs, Energy, Transport, Housing and Rural Areas, the Economic Development Agency of the City of Offenbach am Main, and MENTOR, a long-standing supporting member of the VDID.
Participation in the two-day conference is free of charge.
