Designer Day 2026 at Ambiente: Continuing the Dialogue After the Awards Show
Designer Day 2026 – Continuing the Dialogue After the German Design Award
On 6 February 2026, the German Design Award 2026 will bring the international design community together in Frankfurt for the celebratory awards ceremony. The following day, we invite you to deepen this exchange: Designer Day 2026 on 7 February at Ambiente Frankfurt picks up where the award show’s programme left off – with in-depth conversations about content, perspectives, and design attitudes.
Panels, talks, and keynote presentations will explore what makes design relevant today and tomorrow – from regional roots to international practice, and from cultural impact to societal change. Guests of the awards ceremony are also welcome to extend their stay in Frankfurt and continue the dialogue.
Content-wise, Designer Day builds on the award show. Speakers and contributors at the event include jurors, designers, and international design personalities from the German Design Award ceremony. Among others, Sebastian Herkner, Naoto Fukasawa, and Katty Schiebeck will discuss material, light, reduction, and atmosphere – and how design creates impact.
From 16:00, we invite participants to join Lutz Dietzold (CEO, German Design Council – organiser of the German Design Award) and Julia Uherek (Vice President Consumer Goods Fairs, Messe Frankfurt) for networking – as the grand finale to two days centred around design.
Thematic Highlights
- 12:00 – 12:45 · Region as Catalyst – Sebastian Herkner & Barbara Lersch
Discussion on the importance of regional identity for international resonance and cultural, social, and spatial transformation. - 12:45 – 13:30 · Culture Makes the Difference – Laura Straßer & Studio Yellowdot
Exploring design as a cultural practice that operates between craft and industry, achieving global impact. - 14:00 – 14:30 · Service Design Changes Everything – Prof. Birgit Mager
Insights into service design as a tool for complex systems, integrating user needs and driving change. - 14:30 – 15:15 · Co-Design as a Democratic Practice – German Design Award Newcomer of the Year 2026, Lene ter Haar, Katrin Krupka & Stéphanie Scheerens
Panel on the conditions young talents need, and the role of co-design, interdisciplinarity, and responsibility. - 15:15 – 16:00 · Designing Atmosphere – Katty Schiebeck & Naoto Fukasawa
Exploring material, light, and reduction, and designing timeless spaces that shape perception and atmosphere.
