Brussels, a Landscape of Design

For its 19th edition, Brussels Design September reaffirms its position as a crossroads of disciplines, generations, and formats. From 17 September to 3 October 2025, the capital of Europe once again transforms into a living laboratory of contemporary design, where author design, material research, social innovation, narrative experimentation, circular economy, and urban activation converge.

With more than one hundred exhibitions, installations, open studios, themed tours, and collaborative projects, the festival confirms Brussels as a unique stage for hybrid practices, critical reflection, and creative experimentation. It is a city-wide event that thrives on the tension between institutions and independent spaces, established names and emerging scenes, tradition and radical innovation.

Exhibitions: Narratives, Materials, Perspectives

This year’s exhibitions invite visitors to question languages, materials, and forms of storytelling:

• Galerie IMAGINAIR at Hotel The Dominican presents projects at the intersection of art and design.
• A. Galerie hosts Italian design master Mario Trimarchi, with a poetic exploration of memory, fragments, and objects.
• CURATED, led by Lionel Jadot, takes over the iconic Royale Belge (Hotel MIX, 27–28 Sept.) as a meeting ground for designers, collectors, and architects.
• Augusta Gallery stages a solo show by Roxane Lahidji, introducing Marble Salts, where salt becomes a sculptural medium.
• TRANS-FORMATIONS at MAD Brussels, co-produced with La Cambre and CID Grand-Hornu, celebrates the centenary of Brussels’ design school, curated by Marie Pok.
• The MAD Graduation Show spotlights new graduates from Brussels’ design and fashion schools, highlighting pedagogy, ecological transition, and visibility for the next generation.
• Book Space, in partnership with the Museum of Czech Literature, creates a spatial reading experience around the most beautiful Czech books, where graphic design meets inclusive pedagogy.
• At Halles Saint-Géry, Art Déco 1925 >< Fashion 2025 bridges heritage and modernity with ten silhouettes by Brussels-based designers.

Open Doors & Materiatek

From 19 to 21 September, the much-awaited Open Doors weekend invites the public behind the scenes of Brussels’ studios and workshops. From designers and artisans to fab labs and self-managed collectives, it is a moment of exchange and democratization of creativity.

Simultaneously, the Materiatek, a new infrastructure dedicated to spatial practices, will open under the direction of NCBHAM. This hybrid platform combines a cutting-edge material library, coworking space, and professional encounters—designed to foster collaboration and cross-pollination.

Women in Design

The 2025 edition gives central stage to women designers, intertwining curatorial, institutional, and critical approaches:

• Women in Contemporary Polish Design at the Design Museum Brussels showcases a vibrant scene where object design, textiles, graphic experimentations, and socially engaged practices coexist.
• Celles qui font le design, a cycle of talks running from September to October, brings together thinkers, practitioners, entrepreneurs, and educators to interrogate systemic conditions of creation, recognition, and transmission.

Design & Commerce

Design in Brussels extends beyond galleries and museums—it lives in the cafés, shops, and streets.

• The Commerce Design Brussels competition highlights the role of design in transforming commercial spaces, with more than 50 entries this year. The jury, chaired by Alain Gilles, completed its visits in June; the public prize will be accessible online in August and September, while the award ceremony takes place on 30 September at Hotel The Dominican.
• The Shops & Brands and Vintage Route circuits guide visitors through curated addresses, from 20th-century design shops to immersive storefront installations and sensory tableware experiences.

Brussels as a Design Ecosystem

By embracing fluidity and openness, Brussels Design September 2025 positions design not only as an aesthetic or functional discipline but as a cultural and societal tool.

In a city where independent spaces coexist with institutions, where classrooms, ateliers, cafés, and commercial spaces play an equal role, the festival underscores Brussels’ specificity: a fertile ground where multiple practices grow side by side, shaping both the city and its future.

The complete program will be available on the official Brussels Design September website.