Programme themes
Our programme is built around several thematic tracks. These reflect relevant fields of action within society and explore different dimensions of design.
Thematic tracks
Save Democratic Places – Möglichkeitsräume schützen und schaffen
Save Democratic Spaces supports places where people come together, exchange ideas and make a difference – regardless of their background or identity. These vital spaces are often under pressure from gentrification or funding cuts. Through our programme, we aim to protect, strengthen and raise awareness of them, ensuring they continue to contribute to democracy and social cohesion in the future.
Better Together – in guter Gesellschaft
Better Together is all about making changes together and actively shaping our environment. Through interactive projects and hands-on activities, everyone can help create more opportunities for people to participate in society and democracy. Whether it’s neighbourhoods creating new gathering spaces or initiatives advocating for more green areas – it's all about working together!
With all Senses – mit allen Sinnen
With all Senses makes democracy a sensory experience. It’s about discovering new perspectives – through hearing, tasting, seeing and feeling. Whether it's a performance to reflect on or a shared meal that brings people together – this is all about experience, enjoyment and community.
Moving Forward – von Vergangenem zu Visionärem
Moving Forward connects the past and the future: We learn from traditions and history to shape tomorrow. It explores topics like sustainability, digitalisation and mobility. To actively shape the future, we need creative ideas – not just to react to change, but to recognise new opportunities.
Design in Schools – Design macht Schule! Frankfurt RheinMain lehrt Gestaltung
Design in Schools aims to highlight the role of design as a key to future-oriented education. The goal is to encourage young people to actively shape not only their immediate school environment but also society as a whole.
Beyond Text – der Designdiskurs um den erweiterten Designbegriff
Beyond Text explores how design can help drive and shape social change. The aim is to convey an expanded understanding of design and to create new spaces and formats through thoughtful design that enable democratic discourse and contribute to a better future.
Creative Minds – Gestalter:innen aus der Region
Creative Minds puts the creative minds and designers of the region in the spotlight, focusing on the classic design disciplines. The aim is to showcase the work of local designers and to promote exchange and networking.
Fields of action
Work
Since the pandemic at the latest, things have shifted: more people are working from home, saving commuting time and reducing emissions – at least in sectors where this is possible. More and more countries are experimenting with four-day work weeks and companies are allowing employees to decide their own working hours. This calls for new visions of what workplaces can look like – in both urban and rural areas.
Building & Living
How do we want to live in the future? How many square metres does one person really need? Who can still afford rent? In major cities, people are already living in closer quarters. Here, co-housing projects or housing cooperatives offer attractive alternatives in increasingly strained rental markets. At the same time, we need to ask how we can repurpose existing buildings – instead of constantly constructing new ones.
Education
Education drives economic progress and broadens our horizons. It is the key to a better life and the foundation of a strong democracy. Real change can only happen if we bring people of all ages along. Today, education means learning throughout life, staying curious and engaging in research. It’s not just about gaining knowledge – it’s also about practising civic participation and recognising opportunities to help shape our society.
Industry
Despite digitalisation, crafts and material production remain an important economic sector. Data centres and industrial zones are often located in what’s known as the “in-between city” – unstructured spaces between urban and rural areas that call for diverse design solutions. At the same time, more and more industrial operations in city centres are closing down. This opens up opportunities to reshape the urban fabric and make room for forward-looking industries.
Consumption
Do we really need new shoes, a new tablet – and what about the way we eat? These everyday decisions have a direct impact on our environment, but they also open up individual opportunities for change. What we certainly don’t need for a better life is more stuff. Instead, we need new processes for recycling and reusing materials and products – and a stronger focus on cradle-to-cradle approaches.
Culture & Media
Culture creates connections, opens up new perspectives and brings people together. It reveals what often remains hidden in everyday life – and makes it collectively tangible, whether through art, design, performance or media. The diversity of cultural expression is limitless and creates spaces for dialogue and shared creativity, making our world more open and inclusive.
Mobility
In both urban and rural areas, the question is the same: What could an ecological, socially just and resilient mobility of the future look like? Mobility affects us all – it’s not a luxury, but a basic need. The transport sector is responsible for significant emissions and contributes to noise, accidents and the overuse of space. We need to rethink mobility and its infrastructure in a way that suits each specific context.
Public Space
Cities are becoming denser – but also more anonymous. In rural areas, pubs and local sports clubs are disappearing, leaving fewer places to gather. Yet public spaces are essential for democratic exchange and participation. After all, democracy is not lived behind closed doors – it thrives in shared spaces and collective experiences.
Health
As stated in Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for their health and well-being. This includes food, clothing, housing, medical care and essential social services. Health is not just a personal matter – it is deeply shaped by politics and society.
Sport
Movement is good for the body, good for the mind and brings people together. In sport, we communicate without words, share joyful experiences and find a balance to everyday life. Free and inclusive opportunities for physical activity beyond the private home can strengthen communities and neighbourhoods.