Next, Now, Then

Projection of the Past & Facility of the Present

What if superstition shaped our choices? What if nature was our teacher? Several projects draw on cultural memory and reinterpret forgotten practices as tools for today. Others address the immediate conditions of daily life: How can public transport work better? How can we feel safe? Together they show how design can translate the wisdom of the past and the urgency of the present into tangible interventions.

Memory of the Future & Transition of the Now

Did we really use that much plastic? Did we treat animals this way? Did we ignore war? Projects ask us to view the present through the eyes of tomorrow, where today’s choices will be remembered as responsibility or neglect. Alongside this speculative lens, other works investigate the threshold we currently cross: Can we optimise ourselves, can artificial intelligence reshape our work? Emerging practices explore digital tools, hybrid workflows and new forms of making that blur the line between human and machine. Together these perspectives reveal how design anticipates consequence, navigates transition and opens paths for societies yet to come.

Form follows Friendship

The exhibition also extends into dialogue. On Sunday, 19 October 2025, a networking breakfast in Eindhoven will bring together emerging graduates and professionals from Germany and the Netherlands. Under the title Form follows Friendship, the encounter highlights collaboration as a driving force in contemporary practice. Participation is by invitation only. Applications can be directed to katrin.krupka@gdc.de.