In cooperation with numerous social projects, the Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft's initiative for the design industry is organising events throughout the week in HafenCity and other locations in the city, inviting people to join in and exchange ideas. Included: a "Pimp my Rollator" workshop, alternative city tours around Hansaplatz and an app that can be used to manifest alternative ideas for car parks. A large part of the programme is free of charge.
Hamburg, 20.5.2025 Design is more than a combination of function and aesthetics - it is a tool: for changing social processes, for initiating new discourses and for addressing social and ecological challenges. Design helps us to take a more mindful approach to our resources, our environment and our fellow human beings.
The Social Design Week in June 2025 will show how meaningfully and powerfully the tool of design can be used. The Design Zentrum Hamburg is organising the new format with an exhibition and programme to provide a stage for the discipline of social design.
Laura Rohloff, Director of the Design Zentrum, emphasises: "Social design is essential for tackling local and global challenges. Social designers use their skills to develop innovative solutions for social problems that have a long-term impact. It's high time this discipline got a tailwind."
Annika Fitz, curator, explains: "Social Design Week is explicitly not just aimed at designers and design fans. It is an invitation to interested Hamburg residents from all age groups to help shape our coexistence, our environment and our future."
Initiatives from Hamburg and Germany show the effectiveness of design
More than twenty designers and social initiatives from the Hamburg metropolitan region and other cities are taking part in Social Design Week, including Alster-Bille-Elbe PARKS, the public design consultancy in St. Pauli, the FIND Network, Gestaltungszentrale Politik, Age of Style & Age Bombs, grauwert - Büro für Inklusion und demografiefeste Lösungen, obenstadt e.V., Urban Alcove and the responsible design lab.
With its exhibition, café and community space, the Design Zentrum is the home base of the week. Here, visitors can discover the exhibited projects, try out their creativity and engage in dialogue. In the heart of HafenCity, a place is being created that invites you to linger. In daily workshops, impulses and talks, experts will provide insights into the discipline. The satellite events of Social Design Week will show how social design is applied in the city. Walks and tours will be organised throughout the city to explore together how design can inspire new ideas and perspectives.
People without design knowledge welcome
Social Design Week is aimed at Hamburg residents of all ages who are interested in shaping society and our social interaction. The events are designed for designers and non-designers to promote an exchange between the design industry and society.
Social Design Week is intended to be accessible to as many people as possible. Visiting the exhibition (open daily from 2pm to 7pm) and around 90 percent of the programme (changing daily) are therefore free of charge. Access to the Design Zentrum Hamburg (Hongkongstr. 8, 20457 HH-HafenCity) is also largely barrier-free.
All information about the Social Design Week, the programme and registration for the events is available here.
