Because a format like this does not yet exist. Because Berlin is home to one of Europe’s largest design economies—generating around €5.7 billion in 2021 (according to the Monitoring Report on Culture and Creative Industries, a highly relevant part of Berlin’s economy) —and deserves a platform that reflects this significance. And because we urgently need more optimism—something designers are trained to cultivate. The future will not simply arrive; it must be designed. 

Anchored by the guiding theme “Transformation by Design,” FORM / FUTURE celebrates design not as an object but as a process and system, placing methods, workflows and interdisciplinary thinking at its very core. At its essence, this international B2B design conference and expo illuminates the transformational power of design across economy, society and the environment. 

Design is a complex term. Sometimes dismissed as a buzzword, yet in truth it it is at home in all disciplines. Designers do not belong to a single industry—they are active across sectors. They research user needs, connect, build bridges, translate, develop ideas and concepts, and ultimately bring them into concrete form—from critical thinking, to systems, to tangible products. This unique ability positions design as a vital force for transformation and successful change. FORM / FUTURE brings this spirit to life: through sensory encounters, interactive participation and learning by doing. Participants should leave not only with knowledge, but with real insight, confidence and optimism. 

 
Positioned at the intersection of design, economy and society, FORM / FUTURE demonstrates how design can serve as a strategic tool for change—harmonizing technological progress, social evolution and ecological responsibility. Berlin urgently needs—and is perfectly poised—to make this vision reality: a space where ideas are not only imagined but enacted; where collaboration becomes catalyst; and where transformation is not a trend, but a shared commitment. Bringing together innovative organizations and forward-thinking minds from business, politics and institutions, the conference provides a forum to learn and sharpen the skills essential for transformation by design. At its heart, design is reimagined not as a mere discipline but as a mindset: the capacity to navigate uncertainty, weave disparate systems together, craft concrete solutions—and in doing so, unlock new realms of possibility — between Design & Disaster. 

Good design often remains invisible; bad design, however, can be destructive. FORM / FUTURE therefore insists: design is not decoration, it is direction. It shapes how we live, work and govern—and must stand at the center of transformation. 

 

Set over two days at Berlin’s iconic ICC—once conceived as a futuristic “dialogue machine” and now reawakened for 49h ICC— FORM / FUTURE activates experiences, immersive design exhibitions  such as the German Ecodesign Award, ICC’s light artist Frank Oehring, and Berlin Panorama. Creating a New Platform for Berlin Design —co-curated with Lutz Engelke and staged with a scenography by Gonzalez Haase AAS— along with a wide array of design studios, and curated tours alongside classic keynotes and panels. Within this singular futuristic architecture, every second becomes a moment for sensory discovery and active skill-sharing, embodying the very spirit of future optimism. 

 

FORM / FUTURE dares to transform its surroundings into a living laboratory for collective futures. Across three stages and six thematic tracks, thought leaders from design, business, politics, and academia exchange perspectives – cultural, social, and political – in German and English. More than a specialist conference, it is a powerful platform that makes the expansive potential of design tangible—temporary, focused and wide open to new perspectives. 

Ultimately, FORM / FUTURE is a call to action. It is an invitation: to exchange ideas, to experience design as a force that bridges disciplines connects Berlin’s creative industries with global transformation, translates ideas into tangible impact, and to recognize design as a key to a more sustainable, responsible and optimistic future.”