A sense of change is in the air. Systems are shifting, and old certainties are giving way to new possibilities. We live in a world that appears increasingly polished: smoothed out, optimised, filtered and packaged into something that feels controllable. Yet beneath that polished surface, life unfolds. It rebels, challenges, grows and gives rise to something new. That is where things are raw and authentic. That is where R.A.W. (Rebel Authentic Worth) begins.
Over the past decades, design has evolved into far more than the creation of products or objects. Designers explore complex challenges, connect different perspectives and imagine new futures. At the same time, the term ‘design’ is being applied ever more broadly, making its distinctive value increasingly difficult to define. With R.A.W. as its theme, DDW deliberately embraces the unpolished, the experimental and the authentic.
Design does not begin with a perfect plan. It begins with the urge to explore, question and reveal new possibilities. Design as the catalyst for renewal. Designers as pioneers of change. DDW as a frontrunner in shaping what’s next.
This process is deeply embedded in the DNA of DDW and forms the foundation of the festival. Over the course of nine days, designers are given the space to reveal not only finished work, but also ideas still taking shape. Here, visitors encounter first versions, experiments and works in progress alongside completed projects. Some evolve from one edition of DDW to the next, allowing visitors to witness their development over time.
This design process is not only part of DDW’s DNA, but also of Eindhoven’s. A city in constant transformation. Eindhoven has a long tradition of imagining, making, testing and starting again. It is a rhythm that has shaped the city for generations. In former factories, historic workshops and new creative hubs, people continue to develop solutions for the challenges of today and tomorrow. Here, the city’s industrial heritage is not merely a backdrop, but fertile ground for a thriving design ecosystem where new and unexpected connections continue to emerge.
DDW26
DDW26 is about returning to the essence of design. R.A.W. demonstrates that design is about far more than the final outcome. It challenges, inspires and encourages reflection. It also shows that design does not always have to be comfortable. Sometimes it confronts. Sometimes it unsettles. Sometimes it inspires hope. And sometimes it is simply beautiful.
From 17 to 25 October 2026, Dutch Design Week once again brings together the full breadth of design. For nine days, DDW reveals how design begins, how it evolves and how it contributes to meaningful change. Unpolished. Explorative. Authentic.