How We Have Shaped Design Since 1953

To mark the anniversary, the Third German Design Debate takes place at Frankfurt’s Paulskirche. 

Speakers: Mike Richter, Lutz Dietzold, David Kusuma, Kimia Amir-Moazami, Muhammed Khan, Pedro Saéz Martinez, Hartmut Esslinger, Francesca Bria, Sunny Dolat, John Maeda, Kate Crawford.

The German Design Council assumes project stewardship of the "German Design Graduates" competition for emerging designers.

Partnership with the "New European Bauhaus" initiative, launched by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.

Foundation of the Institute for Design Research and Appliance (IFDRA) as an interface between design, academia and industry. In 2024, it publishes its first study: "Design Research Practice in Germany".

The German Design Council establishes a subsidiary in Shanghai, conceived as a member-based network — mirroring the foundation’s own structure. Lutz Dietzold, CEO German Design Council, and Lei Wang, Chief Representative China 

First call for entries for the international competition for emerging designers "ein&zwanzig. We take you to Milan" at Milan Design Week. The competition runs for the final time in 2024. 

German contribution "Utopia means elsewhere" commissioned by the Federal Foreign Office for the London Design Biennale, curated by Konstantin Grcic.

Under the title "60 Years of the German Design Council. 60 Years of Design Culture", the second German Design Debate takes place on 13 June at Frankfurt’s Paulskirche. 

Speakers: Paola Antonelli, Stefan Diez, Annemarie Jaeggi, Martin Roth, Stefan Sielaff, Erik Spiekermann.

Presentation of the first edition of "Die großen deutschen Marken". The publication is released annually and has carried the English title "The Major German Brands" since 2025. 

The German Design Award is the German Design Council’s leading honour for outstanding design. It recognises innovative products and projects whose market launch occurred no more than five years ago. Additional awards include the German Brand Award, the German Innovation Award and the ICONIC Awards. The German Design Council also supports competitions such as the Mia Seeger Prize and Model Young Package.

The German Design Museum Foundation is established as a charitable foundation under civil law. It maintains the Historical Photo Archive and develops comprehensive programmes to strengthen design awareness and cultural education.

Publication of the first edition of "Monitor Markenführung (Brand Management Monitor)", now titled "Deutscher Markenmonitor (German Brand Monitor)".

Launch of the annual "German Brand and Design Congress", renamed "GDC Summit" in 2021 and "Circular Design Summit" from 2025 onwards. 

Concept and realisation of the exhibition "Dimension der Fläche. Kommunikationsdesign in Deutschland" (Dimension of the Surface. Communication Design in Germany), which travels through international Goethe Institutes until 2012.

Start of the collaboration with imm cologne (until 2014), one of the world’s leading furniture and interior design fairs. This collaboration includes a trend exhibition, the Interior Innovation Award, a competition for emerging designers and a full lecture programme.

The first "German Design Debate" takes place on 5 June at Frankfurt’s Paulskirche to mark the 50th anniversary of the German Design Council. 

Speakers: Dieter Rams, Rezzo Schlauch, Rolf Fehlbaum, Peter Schreyer, Konstantin Grcic, Herbert H. Schultes, Erik Spiekermann, Bazon Brock.

Opening event in Frankfurt for the "Design Initiative of German Industry" series, involving all major design institutions and associations. 

Start of the series "design is a journey" on current topics in the design sector. 

The German Design Council co-organises the IDCA, held under the title "Gestalt: Visions of German Design".

Exhibition and publication: "Design Philosophies Yield Design Strategies – How Design Ideas Become Economic Factors".

XVIII Milan Triennale under the theme "Design and Environmental Challenge". German contribution: "Wide and Narrow Paths".

Announcement of the newly conceived "Federal Product Design Award", first awarded in 1992. 

Presentation of the exhibition "Designed in Germany" at the "World Design Exhibition" 1989 in Nagoya (Japan), followed by shows at the Pacific Design Center in Los Angeles, the International Design Center in New York and the Design Center Montreal. 

The German Design Council relocates from Darmstadt to Frankfurt.

As part of its cultural exchange program, the German Design Council presents the exhibition "Design – Thinking Ahead for People" in East Berlin. One year later, the exhibition on West German design is shown again at the Leipzig Autumn Fair.

Herbert Ohl, head of design at the German Design Council from 1974 to 1982, develops a catalogue of 768 criteria for evaluating design for the Federal Award Gute Form ( 1977). The catalogue aims to establish an objective and meaningful assessment system for industrial products. Following substantial criticism, particularly during the era of formalism debates, it is discontinued in 1983. 

The first conference on the subject takes place in Bonn with representatives from business, public life and politics to discuss design promotion.

Under the title "Design 80", the German Design Council presents a critical review of the state of design in the Federal Republic at the 11th ICSID Congress in Mexico City. The 18-minute multi-visual show is used on various occasions in subsequent years.

Exhibition in seven cities in department stores and shopping arcades, realised in partnership with the German consumer organisation for product testing, Stiftung Warentest. 

The "Design Dialogue" colloquium series on design and ergonomics, workplace and working environments takes place for the first time. The series continues intermittently until 1981. 

The "Design Report" is founded. Until 1984, it serves as a media service for daily newspapers and magazines. From 1987 to 2015, it appears as a specialist magazine covering diverse topics of the design sector.

Travelling exhibition "Tried and Tested – Classic Products of Modern Design" in cooperation with Die Neue Sammlung Munich. Shown from 1968 to 1971 in Munich, Berlin, Wuppertal, Offenbach, Basel (Switzerland) and Copenhagen (Denmark). 

In recognition of the growing significance of design, the "Federal Award Gute Form" is presented for the first time in 1969. Organised by the German Design Council and endowed by the Federal Ministry of Economics. One of the earliest award recipients is Hartmut Esslinger, recognised for his university project: a portable stereo radio. 

Exhibition "Gute Form" (Good Form) at the Council of Industrial Design in London. The first exhibition of German industrial design in the United Kingdom. Original press release, catalogue and photo material available. 

Publication of "Education and Training for Good Form in Craft and Industry: Four Recommendations of the German Design Council", a seminal policy paper on design education.

The travelling exhibition "German Design" tours seven Swedish cities.

The logo of the German Design Council dates back to 1960 and was designed by graphic designer Anton Stankowski. "So I made a few drafts, both in one direction and the other; and then we discussed together which one to pursue. 

My aim was to emphasise that the German Design Council had to act both inwardly and outwardly – hence the two directions of the form." 

– Anton Stankowski, Design Report 

Participation of Managing Director Mia Seeger in the content commission and international jury of the World Exhibition.

The German Design Council organises its first international design congress under the patronage of Ludwig Erhard (Federal Minister of Economics 1949– 1963). More than 200 participants discuss "Creating and Disseminating Good Form" and "Corporate Responsibility for Design". Programme and documentation scans available. 

The International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (ICSID, today the World Design Organization) is founded on 29 June in London. The German Design Council is a founding member.

The German Design Council’s first major international project. Together with architect Egon Eiermann, it develops a 500 sqm exhibition to reintegrate the Federal Republic of Germany into the international community. Presented are developments in industrial design, architecture, crafts and fine arts.

The German Design Council is founded, marking a significant impulse for the German design landscape. Mia Seeger is appointed as Managing Director.