Design is all around us. Whether in objects and spaces, images and interactions, or systems and processes, design shapes our lives in fundamental ways. But what shapes design?

Located in the Amanda J. Precourt Galleries of the Martin Building, By design: stories and ideas behind objects features a series of thematic installations drawn from the museum’s expansive architecture and design collection. Showcasing over 300 works, the ongoing exhibition highlights the abundance and versatility of creative approaches, exploring how objects come into being, who brings them to life, and how they respond to societal needs and global trends.

Thematic and evolving presentations

Organized by theme rather than chronology, By design offers diverse explorations of material, form, production, and conceptual expression, from the transformative role of plywood in modern furniture to how nature’s beauty and complexity inspire innovative objects. The motivations behind design are as diverse as its creators, seen in the ways contemporary designers in Mexico blend ancient traditions, colonial influences, and artisanal techniques to bridge the past and present, and how designers from Africa and its diaspora draw on rich histories to create furniture that harmonizes cultural heritage with contemporary life.

With evolving thematic presentations, By design provides a dynamic and ever-changing experience, encouraging visitors to discover, consider, and enjoy new stories and connections on each visit. By assembling works from different time periods and places, the exhibition fosters a deeper understanding of design’s role in shaping our world and invites reflection on our personal relationships with the objects that surround us.

The Amanda J. Precourt galleries: a new era for design at the Denver Art Museum

The nearly 10,000-square-foot design galleries, organized by Darrin Alfred, curator of architecture and design and designed by OMA New York and Shohei Shigematsu, opened in October 2021 and showcase both By design and Gio Ponti: Designer of a thousand talents. The flexible and modular display configurations allow the galleries to rotate between different thematic presentations, offering a fresh experience over time.

The architecture and design collection

The works in these galleries are part of the Denver Art Museum's Architecture and Design collection. With over 19,000 works dating from the 1600s to today, it is one of the preeminent modern and contemporary design collections housed in any comprehensive museum in the United States. Among its holdings is the AIGA Design Archives, which includes approximately 11,000 pieces representing some of the most significant examples of American communication design from 1980 to 2010.