Is society more diverse or more homogeneous in the future? How will we prioritize and design our communities? How do we create healthy and nourishing relationships? Will our behavior become more socially oriented, or will we be further apart and become isolated? Which human values will be more important? What will the future look like, and what will design look like in the future?

Currently, designers around the world are working on solving some of our global challenges. Thinking radically and creatively, allowing themselves to be guided by both reason and emotion. They search extensively for inspiration, ask different questions, and envision themselves in the communities, whose lives they want to improve.

The challenges of the future

Climate crisis, refugee flows, surveillance, and pandemics. Something must change, and it must change now. We need to use our resources smarter, change our patterns of consumption and rethink how we live. We need to share what we have, more equally, and ensure that everyone is heard. A revolution is taking form and we will ask what our world will look like in 10, 20 or 30 years?

The challenges and opportunities are many – leaving us with the greatest question of all – what kind of world and life do we want? What is being designed right now, and the choices we all make today, will shape and create our future. So, what will be good design in the future?

The future is present has three main themes: Human, Society and Planet+. The themes will present different questions, future scenarios, design examples and art installations – some suggest solutions while others are more speculative. A last theme Shaping the future will finalize the exhibition and show examples from the museum’s own collection of utopian dreams and past visionary designs that have influenced and shaped our world.