Introduction
The Design Biennale Zurich is a dynamic platform that showcases innovative approaches to design across disciplines, emphasizing the role of design in addressing complex contemporary challenges. Established in 2017, the biennale brings together designers, architects, technologists, and thinkers from Switzerland and around the world to explore how design can shape and respond to social, environmental, and technological transformations.
Unlike traditional design exhibitions that focus primarily on aesthetics or consumer products, the Design Biennale Zurich emphasizes process-oriented, research-based, and collaborative design practices. The biennale utilizes multiple venues throughout Zurich, creating a distributed exhibition format that engages with the city's rich design heritage while activating diverse spaces from established cultural institutions to industrial sites, public spaces, and digital platforms.
Narrative & Themes
Each edition of the Design Biennale Zurich develops around a central theme that reflects pressing contemporary issues while encouraging speculative thinking about possible futures. These thematic frameworks invite participants to consider design not merely as a tool for problem-solving but as a critical practice that questions assumptions, challenges conventions, and imagines alternative possibilities.
The biennale consistently explores the relationship between human and non-human systems, examining how design mediates our interactions with technology, environment, and each other. Recent editions have investigated themes such as digital sovereignty, circular economies, urban resilience, and the ethics of emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and synthetic biology. This approach positions design at the intersection of multiple disciplines, fostering dialogue between diverse fields including engineering, art, social sciences, and policy.
A distinctive feature of the Design Biennale Zurich is its emphasis on participatory formats and process visibility. Many exhibitions and projects incorporate workshops, live demonstrations, or ongoing research, inviting audiences to engage with design as an active practice rather than simply viewing finished objects. This approach reflects a broader understanding of design as a collaborative and iterative process rather than a singular creative act.
History & Context
The Design Biennale Zurich emerged from Switzerland's rich tradition of design excellence while responding to contemporary shifts in design practice. Founded through a collaboration between the Museum für Gestaltung, Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK), and the Swiss Design Association, the biennale builds upon Switzerland's renowned legacy in graphic design, typography, product design, and architecture while embracing emerging fields and experimental approaches.
The biennale positions itself within Zurich's vibrant design ecosystem, which includes prominent educational institutions, design studios, technology companies, and cultural organizations. This context has shaped the biennale's distinctive character—combining Swiss precision and craftsmanship with innovation and critical inquiry.
Inaugural edition focused on "Automation and Agency" with 35 participating designers
Second edition explored "Data Materialities" across 12 venues throughout Zurich
Third edition examined "Resilient Systems" with hybrid physical and digital format
Fourth edition investigated "More-Than-Human Design" across expanded venues
Fifth edition will focus on "Designing Transitions" with international participation
Design Categories
The Design Biennale Zurich embraces a broad spectrum of design disciplines, from traditional fields to emerging practices. This cross-disciplinary approach reflects the increasingly blurred boundaries between design categories and acknowledges the complex, systemic nature of contemporary challenges that require integrated design thinking.
Digital & Interactive
UX/UI, apps, websites, digital products
Product Design
Furniture, objects, industrial design
Communication
Graphic design, typography, visual identity
Spatial Design
Architecture, interiors, urban planning
System & Service
Service design, systems thinking, infrastructures
Material Research
New materials, sustainability, fabrication
Collaborative Workshops
A central component of the Design Biennale Zurich is its comprehensive workshop program, which creates opportunities for hands-on engagement with design processes and methodologies. These workshops range from technical skill-building sessions to speculative design exercises, allowing participants of all ages and backgrounds to experience design thinking firsthand.
Workshop leaders include both established designers and emerging talents, creating a dynamic exchange of knowledge and perspectives. Many workshops are developed in collaboration with educational institutions, community organizations, and industry partners, ensuring relevance to diverse audiences and real-world contexts.
Exhibition Gallery
Venue Locations
The Design Biennale Zurich takes place across multiple venues throughout the city, creating a distributed exhibition experience that activates diverse spaces and encourages exploration of Zurich's design landscape.
