Montreal (Canada), 13 September 2023 — World Design Organization (WDO)® announced today that the designation of World Design Capital® (WDC) 2026 will be awarded to the region of Frankfurt RheinMain (Germany) as a result of their demonstrated commitment to design that is rooted in social cohesion, urban transformation and the empowerment of more democratic futures.
Building on years of all-encompassing social transformation in the area, the Frankfurt RheinMain bid was put forth by Design FRM gGmbH under the theme of ‘Design for Democracy. Atmospheres for a better life.’ In 2026, the region is looking to showcase how design can act as a tool for collective good through which citizens can more fully participate in the preservation of democratic spaces.
Comprising over 70 cities and towns, Frankfurt RheinMain represents the second-largest metropolitan region in Germany and is a global hub within Europe. As stated by Matthias Wagner K, Head of the Frankfurt RheinMain application and Director at the Museum Angewandte Kunst, “the city of Frankfurt and the RheinMain Region are very pleased and proud to bear the title of World Design Capital 2026. Design for Democracy. Atmospheres for a better life is more than a theme. It is a call and an invitation to jointly address the most pressing problems of our time and to jointly search for solutions. In our region, design will be able to demonstrate its relevance through concrete topics and practical examples and to make clear what a significant tool design can be for the transformation processes of societies.”
The region was awarded the designation by the WDC 2026 Selection Committee, comprising seven international experts in the fields of design anthropology, urban studies, public policy and civic advocacy. As noted by the Selection Committee, “invoking their storied design history, the Frankfurt RheinMain bid was both compelling and timely in the way that it explored design’s impact on civic well-being and social accountability. Overall, the region demonstrated a very strong alignment to the long-standing objectives of the WDC programme, and we at WDO look forward to seeing how they leverage this platform to support design-led transformation within their respective region and internationally.”
Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) was the other shortlisted city for the title of World Design Capital 2026 and was recognized by the Selection Committee for the way in which their bid showcased the city’s flourishing creative sector and design-led urban progress.
WDC is a biennial designation that recognizes cities for their effective use of design to drive economic, social, cultural, and environmental development. 2026 will mark the tenth cycle for the programme.
For more information, please contact:
Eric Lauwers, WDO Programmes Manager: eric@wdo.org
Natali-Lina Pitzer, Frankfurt RheinMain Press Officer: press@designFRM.de
About World Design Organization
World Design Organization (WDO)® is an international non-governmental organization and the international voice for industrial design. We advocate for Design for a Better World, promoting and sharing knowledge of industrial design-driven innovation that enhances the economic, social, cultural, and environmental quality of life. Today, WDO services over 200 member organizations, representing hundreds of thousands of industrial designers around the world. wdo.org
About World Design Capital
Designated every two years by the World Design Organization (WDO)®, World Design Capital® (WDC) recognizes cities for their effective use of design to drive economic, social, cultural, and environmental development. Through a year-long programme of events, the designated city showcases best practices in sustainable design-led urban policy and innovation that have reinvented their city and improved quality of life. Previous WDCs include Torino (Italy) in 2008, followed by Seoul (South Korea) in 2010, Helsinki (Finland) in 2012, Cape Town (South Africa) in 2014, Taipei (Taiwan, Chinese Taipei) in 2016, Mexico City (Mexico) in 2018, Lille Metropole (France) in 2020, Valencia (Spain) in 2022. The cities of San Diego (USA) and Tijuana (Mexico) jointly hold the designation for 2024, while the region of Frankfurt RheinMain (Germany) will assume the title in 2026. www.wdo.org/wdc
