20 Years UNESCO City of Design: Berlin, the design capital, celebrates the city’s creativity

Berlin, Spring 2026 In 2026, Berlin will celebrate the 20th anniversary of its designation as a “UNESCO City of Design”. Since joining the UNESCO Creative Cities Network in 2006, the capital has developed into one of the world’s most dynamic design hubs. More than 30,000 companies in Berlin’s cultural and creative industries now shape its profile, ranging from sustainable fashion and product and graphic design to architecture and digital innovation. Through events such as Berlin Design Week and DesignDays.Berlin, visitBerlin is using the anniversary to position design internationally as a strong reason to visit.

Anniversary highlights and festivals in 2026: Berlin in the spotlight of design
The Senate Department for Economics, Energy and Public Enterprises is coordinating Berlin’s activities as a UNESCO City of Design. In June this year, the capital will welcome around 80 international guests from the UNESCO Cities of Design network. On 9 June, the anniversary will reach its climax with joint celebrations organised by the industry.

This anniversary year brings together the diversity of Berlin’s design scene through festivals, exhibitions, street art hotspots, and design and architecture tours. The international launch was marked by Berlin’s presentation at the Madrid Design Festival as part of the new FORMA Design Fair Madrid. Museums and exhibition venues are setting key highlights with presentations by international and Berlin-based designers, including exhibitions at the German Design Museum, such as the exhibition “Sitzen Machen!” on the theme of seating furniture (18 April to 30 May) and a solo exhibition by Berlin-based designer Konstantin Grcic (26 June to 26 September). At the end of the year, the exhibition “Bauhaus × Redesigndeutschland” explores the relevance of the Bauhaus tradition (from 6 November).

The festival season kicks off with Berlin Design Week from 28 to 31 May. The festival brings together designers, studios, brands and institutions from Berlin and the international scene, showcasing contemporary product, interior and communication design at various locations across the city. Formats such as exhibitions, talks and the ‘Berlin Design Nights’, during which numerous studios and showrooms open their doors, allow visitors to experience design first-hand.

DesignDays.Berlin will celebrate its debut from 24 to 26 September 2026. The new festival for interior, architectural and product design is intended as an international platform for brands, studios and emerging talent, bringing together industry professionals and the general public with an interest in design. The programme includes design tours of Berlin’s neighbourhoods as well as partnerships with hotels and restaurants.

Another key gathering place for the international creative scene is the Forward Festival, taking place on 27 and 28 August at the Haus der Kulturen der Welt. It brings together creatives and industry professionals from the fields of design, communication and digital disciplines. Further programme details will be finalised throughout the year. The FORM/FUTURE conference in 2025 already demonstrated how design is understood as a driver of innovation and social transformation. A second edition is planned for September 2026, which is set to take place once again at an iconic Berlin venue.

Design shapes the urban landscape and the cultural infrastructure of the future
In Berlin, design is an integral part of the urban lifestyle. Hardly any other metropolis combines Bauhaus modernism, post-war modernism, GDR architecture – such as the reopened cinema Kino International, Icons of New Objectivity, such as the strikingly curved Shell House on the Landwehr Canal – and the contemporary avant-garde as effortlessly as the German capital. UNESCO World Heritage sites such as Bruno Taut’s Hufeisensiedlung, the visionary Interbau architecture in the Hansa district, the 1970s design icon ICC, and Karl-Marx-Allee bring design history to life in the urban landscape. Industrial sites, bunkers and former airports have been transformed into creative experimental spaces.

At the same time, Berlin is investing in its cultural infrastructure on a scale not seen for decades. Key projects, including the complete refurbishment and partial reopening of the Pergamon Museum with the famous Pergamon Altar in spring 2027, the new ‘berlin modern’ building, the modernisation of the State Library, the Museum of Natural History, the Komische Oper and the Bauhaus Archive, represent an investment volume of over three billion euros.

A key project is the Bauhaus Archive / Museum of Design: the listed building, which opened in 1979, is currently undergoing extensive renovation and will be expanded with a new extension. Around 2,000 square metres of additional exhibition space, along with a striking tower serving as the new entrance, will enhance its international profile. A first preview is planned for September 2026 as part of Open Monument Day, with the full reopening to follow in 2027.

A creative hub where studios, catwalks and the hospitality industry meet
Berlin’s international appeal is fuelled by openness, diversity and a spirit of experimentation. The city is regarded as a laboratory for sustainable and progressive fashion, thanks to labels such as William Fan, Lala Berlin, Mykita or Sample030, as well as venues like Platte.Berlin, a concept store for local fashion, art and sustainable design concepts.

Institutions such as the LAS Art Foundation bring together art and technology at the highest level. 

Cultural institutions such as the Museum of Decorative Arts, the Bröhan Museum and the Museum of Things firmly establish design within the city. 

Design is evident everywhere in Berlin: in architecture, transport, restaurants and hotels. 

This is how design hotels blend historic architecture with contemporary aesthetics: the Telegraphenamt, near Museum Island, transforms the former main telegraph office into a stylish boutique hotel that bridges tradition and modernity. The Oderberger in Prenzlauer Berg captivates guests with its listed swimming pool dating from 1902, a truly unique architectural gem. Das Stue, awarded 5-star superior status, combines neoclassical architecture with international interior design and sophisticated cuisine. Establishments such as Soho House Berlin, the Scandic Charlottenburg, the Orania in Kreuzberg or the sly Berlin demonstrate just how closely design, music, the creative scene and urban lifestyle are interwoven. 

Berlin’s restaurants are also design hotspots: from Kink at Pfefferberg with its monumental neon installation, to ORA – a former pharmacy transformed into a restaurant – the Art Deco distillery ambience of Eins44, and the modular container structure of BRLO, these venues combine extraordinary architecture with sophisticated cuisine. Berlin’s creative energy arises from the interplay of subculture, techno, the LGBTQ+ community and international exchange, and shapes the city.

Design as a reason to travel internationally and an economic factor
61 per cent of visitors come to Berlin for its arts and cultural offerings. According to the 2025 Creative and Digital Economy Report published by the Senate Department for Economics, Energy and Public Enterprises, Berlin’s design industry generated a turnover of around 13.8 billion euros in 2024, making it one of Europe’s most significant design hubs. With its unique combination of a creative scene, international networking and economic significance, Berlin remains one of Europe’s most dynamic design capitals, even 20 years after receiving its UNESCO designation.

Further information 
Berlin Design Network I Museums of Design, Film & Photography I Mode & Design in Berlin I Fashion and design events I Design hotels I Architekture in Berlin I The Berlin Highlights 2026 are listed here I All the information you need for a visit to Berlin at visitBerlin.de/en