Design That Lived Between Moments: Looking Back at 2025
For a long time, design was measured by its volume. Success was a matter of how much could be produced, how fast it could trend, and how loudly it could announce itself. But this year, the world demanded a different tempo. Faced with the heavy realities of environmental strain and cultural erasure, design had to stop shouting to start listening. It was forced to pivot from the industry of “more” to the practice of “enough.”
The projects gathered here represent a collective withdrawal from the noise. They do not treat design as a glossy finished product, but as a messy, vital human relationship. Whether it is a shelter in a conflict zone or a hand-stitched textile from a rural village, these works suggest that the most important part of a design is the labor, the memory, and the consequence it carries. In these stories, care is not a stylistic choice; it is a rigorous methodology for survival. We are no longer looking at a trend cycle, but at a set of deep commitments: to honor the place, to protect the process, and to find the profound meaning that lives in the tension between urgency and patience.
Stitched with Strength: The Ekatra Journey
Ekatra began by addressing a fundamental imbalance within rural Rajasthan. While women in these communities were already master makers, their stitching was often relegated to the invisible domestic realm and undervalued by the broader design economy. Ekatra did not seek to teach these women new skills but rather to build a modern structure that respected and formalised the expertise they already possessed.
The organization intentionally rejected the extractive logic of traditional factory production. Instead, it established a home based manufacturing model that adapts to the seasonal rhythms and domestic responsibilities of its artisans. This approach ensures that work arrives at the doorstep of the maker, allowing flexibility and placing human well being on par with productivity. By reshaping the design process around the realities of caregiving, Ekatra has created a sustainable labor model that honors the autonomy of the individual.
Sustainability at Ekatra is an operational necessity rather than a marketing rhetorical gesture. The reuse of textile waste and the careful consideration of eco-friendly packaging reflect a philosophy where design systems extend far beyond the physical object. Every material choice is tied to environmental responsibility, proving that luxury and social impact can coexist within the same product. This ethical framework ensures that the beauty of the final item is matched by the integrity of its creation.
Beyond the products themselves, the true achievement of Ekatra lies in the social architecture it has fostered. By creating collective circles and peer support networks, the organization has countered the isolation often felt by home based workers. This structure has allowed women to gain significant decision making power and visibility within their communities. In this context, design serves as a vital infrastructure for dignity, showing how strength can be built quietly through the alignment of craft with everyday life.
Salone Milano 2025 Focused on the Human Factor
Salone del Mobile.Milano has long represented scale and global influence. In 2025, its most notable shift was not visual but ethical. Under the overarching theme of Thought for Humans, the fair turned its attention toward how design is experienced by the body rather than just how it is consumed by markets. President Maria Porro emphasized that the starting point for design must always be the human sensation, filtering every institutional decision through the lens of well-being.
Through the biennial Euroluce, lighting was explored as a fundamental environmental condition rather than a mere object. The first International Lighting Forum, titled Light for Life, placed designers in direct dialogue with scientists, plant neurobiologists like Stefano Mancuso, and artists like Robert Wilson. These discussions examined how artificial lighting can be designed to respect circadian rhythms and emotional states. By integrating biophilic design and smart control systems, Euroluce 2025 proposed a future where light actively improves the quality of human life.
The fair addressed the physical experience of the visitor by redesigning the exhibition routes into optimized loop configurations. This spatial recalibration reduced visitor fatigue and created a more humane pace for exploring the 169,000 square meters of exhibition space. Installations like Paolo Sorrentino’s La Dolce Attesa further challenged traditional fair dynamics by dismantling the features of a classic waiting room. Instead of forcing visitors into static chairs, the space invited them to travel through their own imagination, proving that scale does not have to come at the expense of comfort.
Cultural programming shifted from simple presentation to a multidisciplinary conversation. Projects like the Forest of Space Arena at Euroluce used vertically arranged pine beams to create a fluid, organic experience inspired by the vitality of forests. Outside the fairgrounds, the Salone in the City initiatives provided graphic interventions and public installations that aimed to make high design accessible to all residents of Milan. This approach solidified the fair’s role as a creative platform that nourishes the cultural life of its host city long after the temporary booths are dismantled.
Qatari Designers Made Waves at Milan Design Week
When Galiyah and Lolwa Al Mohannadi arrived in Milan for the Isola Design Festival, they did not come seeking validation from a global design capital. Their presence was quieter and more deliberate. The Saraab Collection was conceived as a question about what it means to represent a place without translating it into a spectacle. Their work entered Milan Design Week 2025 not as an object to be consumed quickly but as an experience that required time and attention.
The concept of saraab or mirage served as the conceptual anchor for the sisters. In desert landscapes, perception is never fixed because light shifts and surfaces behave differently depending on the time of day. The collection carried this logic forward by featuring furniture pieces designed to change with movement. These objects did not resolve into a single image. Instead, they asked viewers to move around them and notice how shadows lengthened and surfaces softened.
Material choice was central to this atmospheric approach. The duo used gradient colored glass not for ornamentation but for its responsiveness to the environment. As sunlight passed through the pieces, it projected shifting colors and shadows into the surrounding gallery space. This design strategy was inspired by the patterns found in local architecture and the color transitions of sunrises and sunsets in the Qatari desert. The collection rewarded patience, making the act of perception an active part of the viewer’s experience.
A defining moment for the designers occurred when much of the collection arrived damaged in transit just before the exhibition opened. Rather than concealing the cracks or abandoning the project, Galiyah and Lolwa chose honesty. They salvaged what was possible and rearranged the presentation around the remaining pieces. This choice reframed resilience not as a state of flawlessness but as a commitment to continuation. The traces of the journey became a part of the story, proving that the most meaningful designs are those that can withstand the pressures of reality.
Humanitarian Crisis Response Through Design by Better Shelter.
Better Shelter operates in environments where design is stripped of all abstraction. There is no room for speculation when displacement and conflict define the daily reality of millions. The organization starts from the foundational belief that a shelter is not merely a roof but a critical tool for restoring human dignity. In crisis situations where individuals have lost control over almost every aspect of their lives, thoughtful design becomes a rare way to regain a sense of agency.
The structures developed by Better Shelter respond to emergency conditions with technical precision. Each unit features lockable doors that provide essential privacy and safety, particularly for vulnerable women and children. Modular panels allow damaged sections to be replaced without discarding the entire home, while integrated solar lighting provides autonomy after dark. These features acknowledge that those living in displacement are active participants in their own lives rather than passive recipients of aid.
Time is treated with honesty in this work. While these units are technically classified as temporary, they are designed to survive far beyond initial expectations. Better Shelter recognizes that the average period of displacement is rarely brief. The modular steel frames have a lifespan of up to ten years, navigating the difficult space between an immediate emergency response and long term inhabitation. This durability ensures that families have a stable foundation as they wait for more permanent solutions.
In 2025, the organization’s work had faced its most severe tests in regions like Gaza. In collaboration with the UNDP, Better Shelter has worked to deliver thousands of units to support families whose homes have been reduced to rubble. The logistical barriers in conflict zones reveal both the power and the limits of humanitarian design. By working with local partners to incorporate materials like bamboo or earth where possible, Better Shelter ensures that their interventions stimulate local economies and respect regional building cultures.
Cross Cultural Dialogue Fundamental to Shaping a Design Culture
Annalisa Rosso does not see herself as someone who just picks furniture for a show. Instead, she treats her role as a builder of cultural infrastructure. As the Editorial Director for Salone del Mobile 2025, she has worked to turn the world’s largest furniture fair into a space for actual thinking. In her view, inviting people from all over the world to talk is not about hitting a diversity quota. It is a necessary tool for survival in a world that is becoming more complicated and connected every day.
At the center of her work is a real commitment to listening. She curated the Drafting Futures program in Pavilion 14 to be more than just a stage for famous names. By pairing legendary figures with young designers, she created a space where people could actually disagree. She believes that real change does not come from everyone nodding in agreement. It comes from the friction and the occasional discomfort of having to answer tough questions about where design is heading. This shift turned the fair into a temporary university where ideas were just as important as the products on the floor.
For Rosso, sustainability is not a sticker you put on a chair made of recycled plastic. She treats it as a systemic responsibility that should be part of the Fair’s DNA. This year, the focus was on the very way the event is run, from achieving international certifications for sustainable management to rethinking how visitors move through the space. By introducing loop shaped layouts in the pavilions, she managed to reduce visitor fatigue while ensuring that every exhibitor was seen. It was a move that prioritised human energy as much as environmental impact.
One of her most ambitious projects was the Euroluce International Lighting Forum. She took the topic of light and opened it up to people who usually have nothing to do with furniture fairs. She invited neurobiologists, astronomers, and even film directors like Paolo Sorrentino to discuss how light affects our brains and our moods. This horizontal way of sharing knowledge proved that design is a connector between science, art, and daily life. By bringing these different worlds together, Rosso has quietly helped Salone evolve from a marketplace into a collective imagination hub.
Rise of Design Festivals: How Many Are Too Many
This article confronted a question the design world often avoids. The design world is currently wrestling with a question that many organizers would rather ignore. As design festivals continue to multiply across every continent, we have to ask what is being gained and what is being lost in the noise. While visibility has become a form of professional currency, this saturation risks flattening the very meaning of design. When every city strives to become a global stage, public attention fragments and it becomes increasingly difficult to sustain any real depth.
The most pressing concern in 2025 is the environmental impact of these events. Large scale festivals often rely on temporary structures, international shipping, and massive amounts of exhibition waste. In the midst of a climate emergency, there is a growing contradiction between the industry’s sustainability rhetoric and its actual practice. Critics are now challenging festivals to move beyond greenwashed marketing and honestly examine their own carbon footprints.
Social media has fundamentally reshaped the way design is presented. Platforms like Instagram and TikTok reward immediate visual impact, which often prioritises installations designed for a photograph rather than for actual use or thought. This digital pressure encourages a culture of superficial novelty and rapid production. Instead of research driven inquiry, many designers feel forced into a cycle of repetition to maintain their online relevance. This trend threatens to turn serious design discourse into a mere backdrop for digital content.
Despite these challenges, a new model is emerging through smaller, community rooted festivals. These events demonstrate that scale is not the same thing as relevance. By prioritizing accessibility, the reuse of materials, and educational workshops, these boutique gatherings offer a more responsible way forward. They prove that when design festivals stop trying to be everything to everyone, they can finally start being meaningful to the people who live in the host city.
“We Can Do It”: Victoria Broackes on London Design Biennale 2025
The 2025 London Design Biennale moved away from the loud spectacle of commercial design weeks to prioritize a more reflective atmosphere. Director Victoria Broackes framed the event as a site for global diplomacy where over thirty-five nations used their pavilions to explore memory, politics, and identity. In this setting, design functioned as a shared language that allowed different cultures to tell their own stories on their own terms.
Under the theme Surface Reflections, curated by Dr. Samuel Ross, the pavilions looked inward to understand external ideas. Many nations turned to the past to address modern concerns. The Omani Memory Grid used traditional pottery to discuss the future of data storage, while Poland used woodcarving to examine the social inequality of waiting. These installations transformed personal experiences like migration and preservation into a collective conversation shared by all visitors.
The Biennale emphasised the act of gathering rather than simple observation. Pavilions became active environments where visitors participated in workshops and performances. This focus on coming together at Somerset House turned the event into a meaningful statement of optimism. It proved that design is a powerful tool for bridging cultural divides and that collective effort is a valid response to global uncertainty.
The most significant works often sat at the intersection of ancient traditions and new science. Projects like the bio-fabricated materials from Northumbria University and Malta’s limestone rituals for memorialization showed a commitment to sustainable, intimate solutions. These experiments reminded us that shared imagination is a vital step toward a better future. By blending radical technology with heritage, the Biennale created a sense of possibility that felt both grounded and visionary.
Qatar Debuted at LDB 2025 with Matter Diplopia by VCUarts Qatar
Matter Diplopia arrived at the London Design Biennale without the pressure of representing a single narrative. Instead, it unfolded as a collection of parallel inquiries into how material, culture, and environment shape one another. The pavilion resisted the temptation to offer a singular statement about Qatar or design education. What it offered instead was multiplicity. Nine projects existed side by side, each inviting visitors to pause, reassess, and look again through a metaphorical lens of double vision.
The structure of the pavilion encouraged exploration rather than direction. There was no prescribed path and no hierarchy of importance. Visitors encountered sound, movement, texture, and interaction in varying intensities. The kinetic sculpture Chrysalis acted as a breathing machine that inhaled and exhaled to clean the air, giving the pavilion a sentient physical presence. Other works like Dub Doubt used vibrating sculptures and privacy screens to challenge ideas of cultural appropriation. This refusal of passivity was central to the pavilion’s ethos. Design was not something to be observed from a distance; it demanded engagement, curiosity, and time.
Several projects confronted difficult themes without simplifying them. Tatreez Unbroken used a custom typeface inspired by Palestinian embroidery to embody the spirit and resistance of women from Gaza. Greener Greenhouse reimagined the 19th century Crystal Palace using Kenyan bamboo and local metalwork, challenging colonial narratives through the lens of the Global South. None of the works aimed for a quick resolution. They remained open ended, reflecting the complexity of the global issues they engaged with.
The pavilion also revealed an educational philosophy rooted in deep collaboration. Students, faculty, and alumni from VCUarts Qatar worked together across fields including material science, digital fabrication, and sound design. Projects like Discursive Instrumentation captured the migratory soundscape of Doha, showing that learning is a continuous process rather than just a final outcome. The pavilion functioned as a testing ground for risk and reflection, proving that academic environments can be powerful sites for innovation and international dialogue.
Songs of Childhood: Student Tribute to Qatar’s Oral Traditions
Fatima Al Moftah focused her research on the songs children sing rather than on physical objects. These melodies are usually passed down through women and hidden in the small moments of daily life. Because they exist mostly in memory and repetition, they are often overlooked by formal archives. As the world changes, Fatima realized that these oral traditions are at risk of disappearing quietly if they are not acknowledged.
Her process involved deep conversations with different generations of Qatari families. She discovered that there was no single version of these songs. Grandmothers remembered specific verses while children adapted the rhythms to fit their modern lives. These variations proved that the culture was still alive and moving. Fatima decided that preserving these songs should not mean freezing them in time but celebrating how they continue to transform.
To document these sounds, Fatima turned to oil painting. She did not try to illustrate the lyrics directly. Instead, she used expressive brushwork to capture the energy, play, and movement of the music. These paintings act as emotional translations that allow a viewer to feel the rhythm of a childhood song visually. The texture of the paint holds the memory of the melody on the canvas.
The exhibition eventually reconnected the art with its sonic roots through QR codes and lyric cards. This allowed visitors to listen and sing along as they viewed the paintings. By bringing these private family memories into a public gallery, Fatima turned personal heritage into a shared experience. The project showed that oral traditions are active parts of our identity that can bridge the gap between strangers.
Dtale Archist Bangalore: A Creative Confluence of Disciplines
Dtale Archist did not enter the Bangalore design scene as a typical gallery or a retail showroom. Instead, it arrived as a space that resists labels entirely. It proposed a new way to encounter design where furniture, architecture, and craft exist in a constant state of conversation. Within these walls, a chair holds as much conceptual weight as a sculpture, and a wall serves as both a structural necessity and a surface for artistic inquiry. By refusing a strict hierarchy of objects, the space has quietly redefined how we value the things we live with.
Walking through Dtale Archist is an intentional experience. Artworks are not isolated on cold white walls but are woven into lived environments that feel familiar yet elevated. Furniture pieces are staged as part of larger spatial narratives rather than as finished products waiting for approval. Visitors encounter installations gradually, sometimes accompanied by sound or elements that change over several hours. This design asks people to slow down and accept that the true meaning of a space might only reveal itself after significant time spent within it.
The curatorial energy of the space is defined by constant change. Rotating exhibitions ensure that the environment never feels static or overly familiar. Emerging artists are given the same platform as established practitioners, allowing for a healthy friction between risky experimentation and seasoned confidence. The space always feels as though it is in the process of becoming rather than arriving at a final state. This flexibility keeps the dialogue fresh and ensures that every visit offers a different perspective on the intersection of various creative disciplines.
At the heart of Dtale Archist is a deep respect for Indian artisanal practices. These traditions are presented as living systems of knowledge rather than nostalgic decorations. Every material carries the visible traces of the human hand. The texture, weight, and subtle imperfections of the objects resist the smooth neutrality we often see in digital imagery. This physical presence of making demands attention and rewards those who take a closer look at the intersection of heritage and modern life.
Designing with Purpose: The Vision Behind the Design Doha Prize
The Design Doha Prize arrived as a direct challenge to the industry habit of chasing instant fame. Instead of just celebrating finished objects as isolated successes, this initiative shines a light on the research and responsibility behind every project. Designers must explain the purpose and the process behind their work. This approach ensures that the creative journey is valued just as much as the final outcome.
By including deep mentorship and residencies in the prize structure, Design Doha addresses a reality that many institutions ignore. Talent needs more than a brief moment of applause to survive. It requires time and sustained resources. The prize rejects the idea of an award as a final destination. Instead, it acts as a launchpad. Winners like Abeer Seikaly receive a full year of logistical support and access to global networks, transforming the win into a permanent foundation for growth.
The focus on the MENASA region aims to correct historical imbalances in global visibility. Within this framework, heritage is never treated as a marketing gimmick or a rigid limitation. It is used as a sturdy base for future innovation. Designers are encouraged to explore their local contexts while remaining open to global exchange. This has resulted in a vibrant body of work that honors traditional Bedouin weaving and modern low carbon architecture with equal intensity.
This initiative views design as a continuous dialogue between different generations and between local and global knowledge. Progress is not measured by speed but by the care with which a practice is built. By fostering these deep connections, Design Doha has created a space where the future of regional creativity is defined by collaboration and shared purpose rather than individual competition.
“Songs of Nature” by Oorjaa: Where Sustainability Blooms
At the Sabha art space in Bangalore, the design studio Oorjaa presented an exhibition titled Songs of Nature. This showcase treated the environment as an active collaborator rather than a mere source of inspiration. The work focused on natural forms that are often ignored, such as seed pods and microscopic organisms. This approach moved the audience away from the usual spectacle of high design and toward a sense of quiet observation and respect for the natural world.
Oorjaa is defined by its ability to see potential in materials that others dismiss as trash. The studio transforms agricultural byproducts like banana fiber and invasive weeds like lantana into sculptural lighting. During the exhibition, this material intelligence was visible in pieces like the Aurelia lights. These works use handmade paper and discarded fishing nets to mimic the translucent beauty of jellyfish. By using these specific materials, Oorjaa turns ecological threats into purposeful and aesthetic design solutions.
The exhibition included hands-on workshops in paper making and lamp construction to move beyond static display. Visitors engaged directly with raw fibers and textures, experiencing sustainability through their own physical labor. This method grounded the concept of circular design in the reality of making. Participants watched as a simple banana stem was transformed into a light diffusing surface, which helped foster a deeper respect for the artisanal process and the time required for true craftsmanship.
Every object in the collection was designed with its entire lifecycle in mind. From the use of faux concrete made from quarry dust to packaging tied with coconut coir, every choice reflected a commitment to circularity. Responsibility extended to how the products would eventually return to the earth after their use. The exhibition encouraged a slower form of decision making, reminding every visitor that true beauty is inseparable from environmental consideration and long term thinking.
Morii Design Studio: Slow Stitches in a Fast World
Sahar Madanat designs for the moments when life feels difficult. Based in Jordan, her studio rejects the idea that design is just about how things look. Instead, she looks for the friction in everyday tasks and builds solutions that actually help. Whether it is a kitchen tool for someone with limited mobility or a medical device that feels less intimidating, her work is rooted in deep human observation.
Her approach focuses on removing the “otherness” from assistive technology. Usually, tools for the elderly or the injured look clinical and cold. Madanat changes that by using warm materials and intuitive shapes. She believes that a person using a medical aid should feel empowered rather than patient-like. This philosophy was at the center of her 2025 projects, where she explored how smart technology can be hidden inside beautiful, tactile objects.
Madanat often tackles problems that the mainstream design world ignores. She spends months watching people move through their homes to find the small, invisible hurdles that slow them down. By solving these minor frustrations, she restores a sense of independence to the user. This commitment to “design for all” has made her a leading voice in the region, proving that the most successful products are those that solve real human struggles with quiet, thoughtful intelligence.
Dubai Design Week Shows How the City Slows Down to Create
Dubai Design Week 2025 revealed a side of the city that is rarely seen. In a place famous for speed and ambition, the festival chose to slow down. Across the Dubai Design District, the event felt less like a spectacle and more like a sequence of quiet moments. Shaded courtyards and textile pavilions invited people to rest and linger rather than rush. By softening the usual tempo, the city allowed design to act as a communal invitation rather than a loud performance.
The heart of this edition was a focus on human scale and intimacy. Installations took inspiration from regional traditions like courtyards and canopies to create spaces that naturally encouraged people to gather. Ornament was treated as more than just decoration; it was used as a way to carry cultural memory. These semi open structures blurred the line between the viewer and the participant, turning the city into a porous and social environment where conversations formed organically in the shade.
Even within the commercial sections like Downtown Design, the focus shifted toward material intelligence. Objects were presented as long term companions rather than seasonal trends. The emphasis was placed on how things were made and how they might age or be repaired over time. This approach redefined value through durability and care. By prioritizing the lifecycle of an object over immediate visual impact, the festival demonstrated that in a city built on momentum, the act of slowing down is a radical and meaningful design choice.
Qatar Museums Organises Middle East Debut of Sneaker Exhibition
The Middle East debut of Sneakers Unboxed: Studio to Street at Design Doha turned a familiar footwear staple into a serious cultural archive. By focusing on the sneaker, the exhibition showed that design is not just something found in high end galleries. Instead, it exists at the intersection of sport, fashion, and technology. Visitors were invited to look closely at an object they wear every day, discovering how a simple shoe can carry stories of identity and global exchange.
The display traced the life of the sneaker from its early days as athletic equipment to its role as a symbol of belonging. It placed high performance innovations alongside the stories of subcultures and street style. By showing rare collectors items next to mass produced models, the exhibition collapsed the usual hierarchy of design. This allowed audiences to see how a shoe changes meaning as it moves from the basketball court to the music stage and finally to the museum shelf.
Learning happened through discovery rather than lectures. Visitors were encouraged to compare materials, construction techniques, and the labor behind the branding. This approach built design literacy gently by inviting people to use their own curiosity as a guide. Qatar Museums proved that a popular culture topic can have immense depth when approached thoughtfully. By welcoming everyone from young children to serious athletes, the museum became a space for shared exploration where design was finally felt as a part of the everyday human experience.
Design is a Tool for Diplomacy
What stayed with us most throughout 2025 was not the finality of the objects produced, but the integrity of the time spent making them. From the stitching circles in Rajasthan to the reflective pavilions in London and Doha, design proved its worth as a tool for dignity and a language for diplomacy.
Design emerged in these stories as something much deeper than a trend or an industry. It appeared as a fundamentally human practice that lives through relationships and carries the weight of memory and labor. Whether the focus was on responding to a crisis, protecting a fragile piece of heritage, or changing how an institution speaks to its public, a common thread ran through it all. There was an understanding that the act of making is never neutral and that care is not just a style, but a rigorous way of working. This is not a list of the year’s best stories. It is a look at a set of commitments that surfaced again and again: the choice to stay rooted in a place, to respect the time a process takes, and to find the beauty in imperfection.
