CHOOSE YOUR FORMAT – AND BECOME PART OF BERLIN DESIGN WEEK
Our festival formats: One roof, one motto, many formats, many participants across Berlin, four days of design. You are the program.
Your BDW Formats
You are completely free in what you offer as part of the BERLIN DESIGN WEEK – as long as the context of design is given and you demonstrate novelty value, relevance, quality and ethical responsibility. Typically, designers, brands, companies of all sizes, agencies, country representatives, museums, educational and research institutions present their own formats here, from exhibitions to talks, presentations and guided tours.
Additional BDW Formats:
Talks and discussions on current design topics in thematic focus areas. Brand strategy, design research, materials, circularity and architecture – where scientifically sound knowledge meets creative perspectives and drives design forward. Through storytelling and optimistic approaches, concrete best practice examples are used to convey how implementable strategies for transformation work, systems can be networked and innovative business models can be created. A format that brings together curious minds and positions design as a tool for social change. May 15 and 16.
During the BERLIN DESIGN NIGHTS, a wide variety of locations celebrate a design event for two evenings (sometimes even nights) across the city of Berlin. Design studios, galleries, agencies and universities open their doors and invite the public from Berlin and around the world to get to know their work, engage in conversation and network. Our visitors plan their tour de design with the help of our online and offline maps and are offered routes that are optimized by district and opening time. In 2026, the BERLIN DESIGN NIGHTS will take place on May 14.
Design is the bridge from research to application. With DESIGN + SCIENCE, we are creating a platform that focuses on the interplay between design, science and research. Through a series of talks, panels, workshops and exhibitions, we connect designers, architects, researchers, engineers, innovative companies and academic institutions. Our aim is to demonstrate the potential of interdisciplinary collaboration and to explore how these synergies can shape the future.
The DESIGN POOL is a hybrid format of trade fair and market. Designers and producers are here to make deals: either to take home or for the order-book. The DESIGN POOL only lasts two days, but our participants are always on site to talk to shoppers and trend spotters. They are typically looking for small series, special editions, products with sophisticated craftsmanship or unique materials in the areas of interiors, furniture, fashion, jewelry and accessories. 2026 DESIGN POOL will take place on May 16 and 17.
