Eindhoven, Netherlands – Dutch Design Week (DDW) is set to celebrate its 25th anniversary from October 18 to 26, 2025, transforming the city into a vibrant hub for design innovation and forward-thinking exploration. Under the overarching theme “Past. Present. Possible.,” the event will reflect on its rich legacy while delving into the current creative landscape and envisioning the future of design. This edition promises a deep dive into experimental approaches, prototypes, and sustainable solutions, offering a visionary platform for the next generation of designers and established luminaries alike.
A Global Epicenter of Design Thinking
As Europe’s largest design event, DDW 2025 is poised to attract approximately 350,000 visitors from around the globe, showcasing the work of over 2,500 designers across more than 120 venues. The festival embraces a less polished, more experimental ethos, prioritizing raw ideas, critical questions, and sensory experiences over finished products. This approach positions DDW not merely as an exhibition but as a living laboratory where professionals, businesses, students, and the public converge to test visions and imagine new societal scenarios.
Championing Sustainability and Societal Impact
Central to Dutch Design Week 2025 are its five core missions: “Thriving Planet,” “Living Environment,” “Digital Futures,” “Health & Wellbeing,” and “Equal Society”. These themes underscore the critical role design plays in addressing urgent global challenges. A significant focus will be placed on the advancement of bio-based materials and circular design principles. Exhibitions like “Designs for the Material Future” will highlight studios pioneering regenerative materials and circular processes, showcasing design as a catalyst for new ecological systems.
The event will also feature the “Bridging Minds” exhibition at the Van Abbemuseum, curated by DDW co-founder Miriam van der Lubbe. This showcase will bring together over a hundred works by leading designers and artists to explore the intersections of art, research, and sustainability, including contributions from Formafantasma, Maarten Baas, and Hella Jongerius.
Showcasing Experimental Visions and Emerging Talent
Dutch Design Week 2025 will present a spectrum of design talent, from acclaimed figures to emerging innovators. Esteemed designers such as Sabine Marcelis, Stefan Diez, Piet Hein Eek, and Kiki & Joost will exhibit their latest creations. Alongside them, the “Class of 25” project will spotlight the next generation of designers graduating from 35 European design schools, including the Design Academy Eindhoven and the University of Applied Arts Vienna.
Large-scale public installations, branded as “Grand Projects,” will once again adorn Eindhoven’s prominent squares and locations, offering freely accessible art that ranges from innovative energy generation concepts to experimental emergency shelters. These installations, alongside numerous other exhibitions, provide exclusive glimpses into trending design concepts and the latest happenings within the design community.
Integration of Technology and Future-Forward Materials
Technological integration and material innovation are key threads weaving through DDW 2025. Students and researchers from institutions like TU Delft are set to present their contributions to a sustainable future, exploring areas such as compostable clothing and advancements in robotically spun flax. The “Future by Design” exhibition at Ketelhuisplein will feature live demonstrations of how design and technology can synergize to foster a more sustainable society.
Circular construction designs, emphasizing material reuse and waste minimization, will also be prominent, alongside interactive prototypes focusing on well-being and human-technology collaboration. The “Forward Furniture” exhibition is set to reveal the future of furniture design, featuring nearly 100 international participants and exploring the boundaries between design and collectibility.
Dutch Design Week 2025 is scheduled to be opened by Queen Máxima on September 24, 2025. The full program and ticket information will be available from September 1, 2025.
