WDC Open Design Week - Focusday Darmstadt Hessen Design World Design Capital 2026
June 11–13, 2026
We are pleased that Hessen Design e.V. is an official partner of the WDC Open Design Week.
Open Doors
June 11, 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Design agencies in Darmstadt will open their doors to the public on this day.
Exhibition: Innovative Industries Space
June 11–13
A companion exhibition will take place at the Designhaus.
Open Dialogue
June 11, 6:00 PM
Opening event with drinks and snacks.
Hessen Design e.V., Designhaus, Darmstadt Mathildenhöhe
Free admission
Registration via Eventbrite
OPEN DOORS
On June 11, 2026, Darmstadt will take center stage as part of the World Design Capital Frankfurt RheinMain 2026 Open Design Week. Agencies, studios, cultural institutions, and companies will open their doors free of charge, offering insights into their spaces and activities.
Whether it’s a studio tour, workshop talk, exhibition, or behind-the-scenes look, Darmstadt’s agencies and studios will welcome visitors between 10:00 AM and 6:00 PM. The city will transform into a vibrant stage for design.
Visitors, professionals, and students alike are warmly invited to drop by any participating venue—no registration required and free of charge.
Participating organizations include:
Agentur SCHUMACHER
amce studios
Artefakt Design
Atelier Löwentor
CREATUR
daniels + erdwiens
Design in Architektur
fp.formgebung
HEAG – HUB31
Hessisches Landesmuseum
Hochschule Darmstadt
Institut Mathildenhöhe
INTef – Institute for New Technical Form
Kraenk Visuell
Kunstarchiv Darmstadt
Luise Büchner Library
o-Box
Profilwerkstatt
Revoltech
Riese & Müller
social form
andré stocker design
why the friday
z. B. Designers
Roadmap and detailed program to follow.
The day will conclude with an open evening event at the Designhaus Darmstadt. In an inspiring atmosphere, all participants will come together, creating space for new ideas, collaborations, and conversations that extend beyond the day.
Innovative Industries Space – DARMSTADT’S CREATIVE DNA
June 11–13, 2026
Exhibition at the Designhaus, Darmstadt
During the Open Design Week, the Designhaus at Mathildenhöhe will become a central meeting point. Join us as Darmstadt showcases its creative strength. Companies, studios, and agencies will present their projects, expertise, and current topics as part of the three-day exhibition “Innovative Industries Space”—ranging from product design and architecture to sustainable innovation.
The exhibition highlights forward-thinking projects, makes diverse perspectives visible, and opens up new views on design, the city, and society. Visitors, professionals, and international guests will experience Darmstadt’s design expertise and innovative power in one central location.
No registration required – free admission
Opening hours:
June 11: 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM
June 12: 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
June 13: 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
OPEN DIALOGUE
June 11, 2026, 6:00 PM
Meeting point for the design community
We warmly invite you to the Open Dialogue at the Designhaus. All participants of the day will come together here—the evening marks both the closing of the Open Doors day and the opening of the exhibition at the Designhaus.
In an inspiring setting, there will be space for exchange, fresh ideas, and collaborations that extend far beyond the day. The opening event offers the first opportunity to experience all exhibition contributions in one place. Projects and exhibits by participating agencies, studios, and companies will be presented to a broad audience of professionals, international guests, media representatives, and the regional design community.
Hessen Design e.V., Designhaus, Darmstadt Mathildenhöhe
Free admission
Registration via Eventbrite
Accessibility & Directions
A ramp for barrier-free access is available on request on site.
Public transport:
Stop: Ostbahnhof
or bus stops Elisabethenstift/Woog or Lucasweg/Hochzeitsturm
The Open in Four Cities
Hanau – June 8
Craft, material expertise, and design tradition
Frankfurt – June 9
Urban design, communication, and branding
Offenbach – June 10
Creative production and emerging talents
Darmstadt – June 11
Technology, research, and innovation
Wiesbaden – June 12
Communication, branding, and tradition
If you want, I can also make it sound more promotional/marketing-style or more formal depending on where you plan to publish it.