Everything around us is designed, from the houses we live in to the social systems we rely on. And if something has been designed, it can also be redesigned. We are living in times of great change. Together, we face crises such as climate change, polarisation, and conflict, all of which call for urgent, fundamental transformations of our systems.

Designing Society is not a static exhibition but a living laboratory for systemic change. As a visitor, you are invited to discover new perspectives on possible futures. And you won’t do so from your usual point of view, but through someone else’s eyes. Before stepping through one of the three gates, you choose to experience the exhibition as a designer, a challenge owner, or a citizen.

Designing Society explores the power of design as a tool for change. By combining the creativity of designers with scientific insight, social responsibility, and political will, we can redesign our world into a sustainable, liveable, and just society for future generations.

In Designing Society, you won’t find ready-made products, but you will discover new perspectives on existing systems. You’ll do this by engaging in conversations, exploring test setups, examining methods, and observing works in progress.

This exhibition is not an ode to design, but an invitation to society: ask questions, listen, experiment, and help design the future. The future may be unpredictable, but the way we design it can be intentional. Here in Eindhoven, you’ll see what happens when imagination, responsibility, and collaboration come together.

The story of the exhibition lies both in the urgency of its themes and in the breadth of its scope. The list of participants reads like a cross-section of the public sphere: ministries, municipalities, provinces, water boards, NGOs, design studios, and citizens. The exhibition makes explicit what is often left unsaid: that the major transitions needed to address issues such as climate, ageing, digital power, and security require coalitions that can be put into practice.

Discover how we can harness the power of design to tackle the complex changes we face today. Take part and imagine a world that not only addresses the challenges of the present but also fulfils the promise of a better future.

The exhibition is free to visit during Dutch Design Week (18–26 October) at Ketelhuisplein (Strijp-S).

Exhibiting Partners & changemakers: A+O Fonds Rijk, ActiZ, Alliander, Anna Noyons, Anouk van der Poll, Arcadia, Archipel, Barbara Vos, Biobased Creations, Bruno Doedens, CLICKNL, Coloriet, Curamare, Daphna Laurens, De Reuringdienst, De Waterambassade, De Publieke Ontwerppraktijk (PONT), Dienst Justitiële Inrichtingen, Eindhoven365, Eindhoven Design District, Fama Volat, Fillip Studios, Future of Now, Gemeente Eindhoven, Gemeente Leeuwarden, Gemeente Terneuzen, Gemeente Utrecht, Het Makerscollectief, Hofmeijer Dekker ontwerpers, Ink Social Design, Interactivist, Jannemarie de Jonge, Leger des Heils, Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken, Ministerie van Binnenlandse Zaken en Koninkrijksrelaties, Ministerie van Defensie Commando Materieel en IT (Directie Kennis & Innovatie), Ministerie van Justitie en Veiligheid, Ministerie van Onderwijs, Cultuur en Wetenschap, Ministerie van Volksgezondheid, Welzijn en Sport, morgenmakers, Muzus, Okra Landschapsarchitecten, On Show Studio, Openbaar Ministerie, Politie, Provincie Friesland, Provincie Noord-Brabant, Provincie Zeeland, Rabobank, Rechtspraak, Reclassering Nederland, Rijkswaterstaat, S+T+ARTS, Hungry Ecocities, Shay Raviv, Scape Agency, Slachtofferhulp Nederland, Stichting Bouwdepot, Stichting Verslavingsreclassering GGZ, Studio Sociaal Centraal, Sweco, The Anderen, Technische Universiteit Eindhoven, Vattenfall, Veilig Thuis, Veiligheidshuizen, Waterschap de Dommel