With the theme Design for Democracy. Atmospheres for a better life, Frankfurt RheinMain holds the title of World Design Capital® 2026. Our motto Let us design how we want to live is an invitation to actively participate in shaping our co-existence and our democracy.
What is meant by the title World Design Capital®?
World Design Capital® (WDC), designated every two years by World Design Organization (WDO)®, recognises cities for their effective use of design to drive economic, social, cultural, and environmental development. Through a year-long programme of events, the designated city showcases best practices in fair, sustainable and innovative design solutions that improve quality of life for all. Past cities to hold the title include Torino (Italy) in 2008, Seoul (South Korea) in 2010, Helsinki (Finland) in 2012, Cape Town (South Africa) in 2014, Taipei (Taiwan, Chinese Taipei) in 2016, Mexico City (Mexico) in 2018, Lille Metropole (France) in 2020 and Valencia (Spain) in 2022. Programmes are currently underway for the first binational designation in San Diego (USA) and Tijuana (Mexico), and preparations are being made in Frankfurt RheinMain (Germany) for 2026.
What is the World Design Organization®?
World Design Organization (WDO)® is an international non-governmental organization and the international voice for industrial design. The organization advocates for Design for a Better World, promoting and sharing knowledge of industrial design-driven innovation that enhances the economic, social, cultural, and environmental quality of life. Today, WDO services over 215 member organisations, representing thousands of industrial designers around the world.
Further information can be found at www.WDO.org
How do we understand Design for Democracy?
Design means more than just creating beautiful products or graphics. Design has the power to shape collective processes, develop inclusive solutions and bring about social change. Under the motto Design for Democracy. Atmospheres for a better life, we will create an international centre and a movement for design in Frankfurt RheinMain – sustainable and participatory. The aim is to establish initiatives and projects that strengthen the cohesion of the region, improve the quality of our co-existence and strengthen democracy – beyond the project year 2026. We are addressing the challenges of our time in ten fields of action.
Fields of action:
Work
Construction & Housing
Education
Health
Industry
Consumption
Culture & Media
Mobility
Public Space
Sport
What do we mean by Atmospheres for a better life?
Atmospheres for a better life alludes quite specifically to our planet’s physical atmosphere as, without it, no life would be possible. We would also like to create an atmosphere in which commitment and a willingness to experiment lead to new ideas so that something can change. But it can also be taken to mean something interpersonal, something aesthetic, something that has to do with mood. We are all conscious of what a difference the perceived good atmosphere makes to us, whether in an indoor space or in our squares. Public spaces in particular are one of the few places where people from different backgrounds bump into each other by chance. Shaping our lives together also opens up opportunities for new encounters. Design for Democracy. Atmospheres for a better life is therefore also an invitation to actively participate in shaping our co-existence and our democracy.
What is meant by Let us design how we want to live?
A healthy democracy needs us all – the same applies to the World Design Capital 2026 programme. WDC 2026 is a platform and an enabler. You can use it to make your ideas and projects publicly visible, develop them collaboratively and finally put them into practice – a platform for meeting and exchanging ideas.
What will take place until 2026?
World Design Capital 2026 has already begun before 2026 – our common journey and processes have already started! The Open Call 2024 was a first invitation to participate in the WDC 2026 programme, further Open Calls will follow. Beginning of next year we will develop a comprehensive programme that includes your project ideas as well as further formats that we are developing ourselves. From February 2025, we will publish the programme and offer further opportunities for networking and encounters. We will use 2025 for implementing project ideas, further development and preparations. 2026 will be the highlight year of World Design Capital 2026, in which all projects will take place and be made accessible to the general public.
What is the Open Call 2024?
With our Open Call, we invited you to become part of WDC 2026. We’ve received over 1,000 ideas, proposals, and offers from the region. Here are the current ways you can get involved: offering spaces and providing support.
You can find more information on how to participate here:
Who is behind the World Design Capital Frankfurt RheinMain 2026?
The sponsors of World Design Capital Frankfurt RheinMain 2026 are the City of Frankfurt under the leadership of the Department of Culture and Science and the Kulturfonds Frankfurt RheinMain as well as the State of Hesse, represented by Prime Minister Boris Rhein. The application is based on an initiative of the Werkbundakademie Darmstadt in the years 2014 to 2020. Design FRM gGmbH was founded for the application phase from 2021 to 2023 and is now in charge of realising the project. The World Design Capital 2026 project office is currently located in the Museum Angewandte Kunst in Frankfurt am Main.
Who is the WDC 2026 team?
We are an interdisciplinary team. Many of us have a background in design and architecture. You can find the team behind the WDC → here and of course you can get to know us in person at our events.
In which areas is WDC 2026 active?
We have defined ten fields of action for Design for Democracy. In our opinion, these fields reflect the challenges and needs of people in the Rhine-Main region particularly well: work, construction and housing, education, health, industry, consumption, culture and media, mobility, public space and sport.
How much is the WDC 2026 project funding and how is it allocated?
Currently, about one-third of the total budget, which is funded by public money from the State of Hesse, the City of Frankfurt am Main, and the Kulturfonds Frankfurt RheinMain, is earmarked for direct allocation to the WDC 2026 projects. This amounts to approximately 4.5 million euros, which will be passed on 1:1 as (co-)financing for the implementation of the projects. Personnel costs, communication, organization of program series, and WDC 2026’s own events, among other expenses, also indirectly contribute to all planned projects and locations in the Frankfurt RheinMain region. The process behind the development of the program is based on participation rather than top-down decisions in the first fundamental step. The WDC 2026 program team is guided by the theme Design for Democracy and has therefore established the Open Call 2024 as a search movement at the beginning of the program planning. Initially, the process will be curated, followed by the program in the second step. In parallel with the Open Call 2024, WDC 2026 will ensure that all cities and municipalities in the region, as well as diverse target groups, are represented in the program. Following the Open Call 2024, the WDC 2026 team will begin curatorial work, issue invitations, and announce further calls for participation to ensure a balanced, diverse program that benefits everyone as equally as possible.
Who decides on the project ideas submitted to the Open Call 2024?
The process for handling the Open Call 2024 currently involves the following steps:
How are the project funds transferred and what are the amounts for the individual projects?
Currently, it is difficult for us to answer all the questions in detail, as we do not yet know the answers ourselves and do not want to create false expectations. Our aim is to implement funding guidelines that are as low-threshold as possible. To this end, the WDC 2026 team is in intensive discussions with our sponsors to facilitate as much and as straightforward funding and cooperation as possible. Intense efforts are underway in the background, and our plan is to publish guidelines for the allocation of approximately 4.5 million euros by early 2025. However, it is already decided that there will be no full funding of project ideas; a personal contribution will always be required. As a large, innovative project, WDC 2026 is venturing into uncharted territory – and in doing so, we are also dependent on others. Participation processes and involvement require openness to outcomes. WDC 2026 aims for a process that is as open as possible and should be shaped together. This also means enduring and accepting moments when the process has this openness and does not yet yield concrete results.
Further questions?
When can I submit my own project ideas?
Our first Open Call is now closed. You can find more information on current participation opportunities here:
How can I take part in the online consultation hour?
Our online consultation hour takes place every Monday at 17:00. There you can ask further questions. Click here to register:
I would like to become part of the team! Do you have any vacancies?
Where can I find regular updates on your events and offers?
Sign up for our newsletter any time or check us out on Instagram! We will also keep you up to date on our website.
Who can I contact with further questions?
Please send us an e-mail to hello@wdc2026.org – we will forward it to the right person in our team.
With the theme Design for Democracy. Atmospheres for a better life, Frankfurt RheinMain holds the title of World Design Capital® 2026. Our motto Let us design how we want to live is an invitation to actively participate in shaping our co-existence and our democracy.
What is meant by the title World Design Capital®?
World Design Capital® (WDC), designated every two years by World Design Organization (WDO)®, recognises cities for their effective use of design to drive economic, social, cultural, and environmental development. Through a year-long programme of events, the designated city showcases best practices in fair, sustainable and innovative design solutions that improve quality of life for all. Past cities to hold the title include Torino (Italy) in 2008, Seoul (South Korea) in 2010, Helsinki (Finland) in 2012, Cape Town (South Africa) in 2014, Taipei (Taiwan, Chinese Taipei) in 2016, Mexico City (Mexico) in 2018, Lille Metropole (France) in 2020 and Valencia (Spain) in 2022. Programmes are currently underway for the first binational designation in San Diego (USA) and Tijuana (Mexico), and preparations are being made in Frankfurt RheinMain (Germany) for 2026.
What is the World Design Organization®?
World Design Organization (WDO)® is an international non-governmental organization and the international voice for industrial design. The organization advocates for Design for a Better World, promoting and sharing knowledge of industrial design-driven innovation that enhances the economic, social, cultural, and environmental quality of life. Today, WDO services over 215 member organisations, representing thousands of industrial designers around the world.
Further information can be found at www.WDO.org
How do we understand Design for Democracy?
Design means more than just creating beautiful products or graphics. Design has the power to shape collective processes, develop inclusive solutions and bring about social change. Under the motto Design for Democracy. Atmospheres for a better life, we will create an international centre and a movement for design in Frankfurt RheinMain – sustainable and participatory. The aim is to establish initiatives and projects that strengthen the cohesion of the region, improve the quality of our co-existence and strengthen democracy – beyond the project year 2026. We are addressing the challenges of our time in ten fields of action.
Fields of action:
Work
Construction & Housing
Education
Health
Industry
Consumption
Culture & Media
Mobility
Public Space
Sport
What do we mean by Atmospheres for a better life?
Atmospheres for a better life alludes quite specifically to our planet’s physical atmosphere as, without it, no life would be possible. We would also like to create an atmosphere in which commitment and a willingness to experiment lead to new ideas so that something can change. But it can also be taken to mean something interpersonal, something aesthetic, something that has to do with mood. We are all conscious of what a difference the perceived good atmosphere makes to us, whether in an indoor space or in our squares. Public spaces in particular are one of the few places where people from different backgrounds bump into each other by chance. Shaping our lives together also opens up opportunities for new encounters. Design for Democracy. Atmospheres for a better life is therefore also an invitation to actively participate in shaping our co-existence and our democracy.
What is meant by Let us design how we want to live?
A healthy democracy needs us all – the same applies to the World Design Capital 2026 programme. WDC 2026 is a platform and an enabler. You can use it to make your ideas and projects publicly visible, develop them collaboratively and finally put them into practice – a platform for meeting and exchanging ideas.
What will take place until 2026?
World Design Capital 2026 has already begun before 2026 – our common journey and processes have already started! The Open Call 2024 was a first invitation to participate in the WDC 2026 programme, further Open Calls will follow. Beginning of next year we will develop a comprehensive programme that includes your project ideas as well as further formats that we are developing ourselves. From February 2025, we will publish the programme and offer further opportunities for networking and encounters. We will use 2025 for implementing project ideas, further development and preparations. 2026 will be the highlight year of World Design Capital 2026, in which all projects will take place and be made accessible to the general public.
What is the Open Call 2024?
With our Open Call, we invited you to become part of WDC 2026. We’ve received over 1,000 ideas, proposals, and offers from the region. Here are the current ways you can get involved: offering spaces and providing support.
You can find more information on how to participate here:
Who is behind the World Design Capital Frankfurt RheinMain 2026?
The sponsors of World Design Capital Frankfurt RheinMain 2026 are the City of Frankfurt under the leadership of the Department of Culture and Science and the Kulturfonds Frankfurt RheinMain as well as the State of Hesse, represented by Prime Minister Boris Rhein. The application is based on an initiative of the Werkbundakademie Darmstadt in the years 2014 to 2020. Design FRM gGmbH was founded for the application phase from 2021 to 2023 and is now in charge of realising the project. The World Design Capital 2026 project office is currently located in the Museum Angewandte Kunst in Frankfurt am Main.
Who is the WDC 2026 team?
We are an interdisciplinary team. Many of us have a background in design and architecture. You can find the team behind the WDC → here and of course you can get to know us in person at our events.
In which areas is WDC 2026 active?
We have defined ten fields of action for Design for Democracy. In our opinion, these fields reflect the challenges and needs of people in the Rhine-Main region particularly well: work, construction and housing, education, health, industry, consumption, culture and media, mobility, public space and sport.
How much is the WDC 2026 project funding and how is it allocated?
Currently, about one-third of the total budget, which is funded by public money from the State of Hesse, the City of Frankfurt am Main, and the Kulturfonds Frankfurt RheinMain, is earmarked for direct allocation to the WDC 2026 projects. This amounts to approximately 4.5 million euros, which will be passed on 1:1 as (co-)financing for the implementation of the projects. Personnel costs, communication, organization of program series, and WDC 2026’s own events, among other expenses, also indirectly contribute to all planned projects and locations in the Frankfurt RheinMain region. The process behind the development of the program is based on participation rather than top-down decisions in the first fundamental step. The WDC 2026 program team is guided by the theme Design for Democracy and has therefore established the Open Call 2024 as a search movement at the beginning of the program planning. Initially, the process will be curated, followed by the program in the second step. In parallel with the Open Call 2024, WDC 2026 will ensure that all cities and municipalities in the region, as well as diverse target groups, are represented in the program. Following the Open Call 2024, the WDC 2026 team will begin curatorial work, issue invitations, and announce further calls for participation to ensure a balanced, diverse program that benefits everyone as equally as possible.
Who decides on the project ideas submitted to the Open Call 2024?
The process for handling the Open Call 2024 currently involves the following steps:
How are the project funds transferred and what are the amounts for the individual projects?
Currently, it is difficult for us to answer all the questions in detail, as we do not yet know the answers ourselves and do not want to create false expectations. Our aim is to implement funding guidelines that are as low-threshold as possible. To this end, the WDC 2026 team is in intensive discussions with our sponsors to facilitate as much and as straightforward funding and cooperation as possible. Intense efforts are underway in the background, and our plan is to publish guidelines for the allocation of approximately 4.5 million euros by early 2025. However, it is already decided that there will be no full funding of project ideas; a personal contribution will always be required. As a large, innovative project, WDC 2026 is venturing into uncharted territory – and in doing so, we are also dependent on others. Participation processes and involvement require openness to outcomes. WDC 2026 aims for a process that is as open as possible and should be shaped together. This also means enduring and accepting moments when the process has this openness and does not yet yield concrete results.
When can I submit my own project ideas?
Our first Open Call is now closed. You can find more information on current participation opportunities here:
How can I take part in the online consultation hour?
Our online consultation hour takes place every Monday at 17:00. There you can ask further questions. Click here to register:
I would like to become part of the team! Do you have any vacancies?
Where can I find regular updates on your events and offers?
Sign up for our newsletter any time or check us out on Instagram! We will also keep you up to date on our website.
Who can I contact with further questions?
Please send us an e-mail to hello@wdc2026.org – we will forward it to the right person in our team.
