Museum Angewandte Kunst, Frankfurt

Design for Democracy. What design can achieve!

Design for Democracy is understood as a responsible design approach aimed at facilitating, expanding, preserving, and enriching life. It involves creating effective, participatory solutions to the pressing problems of our time – problems that, defined as “good problems”, demand equally good design solutions. Design is understood as a process of transformation that people implement in their environment, as a tool that can promote peaceful, diverse, and democratic coexistence.

The exhibition presents current design examples from the Frankfurt RheinMain region and connects them with international projects and personalities. It offers new perspectives on the relationship between design and democracy, highlights the impact of design, and serves as an interactive platform for exchange, inviting everyone to participate in information sessions, discussions and hands-on experiences.

Around 20 projects from Germany and abroad were selected by the curators for the exhibition, which will be presented for the first time at the Museum Angewandte Kunst as part of World Desgin Capital Frankfurt RheinMain 2026 (WDC 2026). These include VERT (by OMC°C, Frankfurt in cooperation with Diez Office, Bollinger + Grohmann, Just Architekten and other partners), Imperfect Assemblies (by Cultures of Assembly, Université du Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette), SCAPE° (by the Departments for Cultural Managament, Environment and Climate as well as the Economic Development Agency of the City of Offenbach and the German Weather Service), Compath (by Jonas Krämer, Folkwang Universität der Künste, Essen).

The diverse supporting programme at the Museum Angewandte Kunst will focus on common good and participation, as well as exchange and collaboration between designers and visitors. Regular guided tours and workshops, as well as film screenings and discussions, will accompany the events of WDC 2026 and the Open – Design Week (6-14 June) in Frankfurt RheinMain.

Curators: Anna Scheuermann, Matthias Wagner K

Opening: Thursday, 21 May 2026, 7 pm