One of the highlights of this year’s consumer-goods fair is the Designer Day on 8 February especially for the Ambiente designer community – organised for the second time by Messe Frankfurt and for the first time in cooperation with the German Design Council. The programme includes inspiring talks, lectures, and future perspectives – with a focus on circular design as well.


Keynote speech: ‘Circular design for a sustainable circular economy’
At noon, Dr Manuel Bickel, an expert on sustainable innovation at the Wuppertal Institute, will give an insight into his research on circular design. Using concrete projects and product-service systems, he will show how resource-saving concepts can be put into practice. Two of his case studies: Circular by Design, which explores the potential of resource efficiency in different design scenarios, and Circle of Tools, which extends the life of metal goods through remanufacturing and re-engineering. In addition, Bickel highlights key challenges and innovative solutions, and provides an outlook for designing a circular future.
Talk: Circular Design – Visions and challenges from different designer perspectives
Immediately afterwards, a panel discussion with the five German Design Award Newcomer finalists – Amelie Kurz, Juni Sun Neyenhuys, Sophia Reißenweber, Max Seeger and Lena Weber – will look at circular design from different perspectives. The young talents from the fields of fashion, architecture, product and digital design will discuss different disciplines, materiality and processes, challenges and solutions as well as visions for the future with Dr. Manuel Bickel and his institute colleague and winner of the 2019 German Design Graduates Culture Award Christoph Tochtrop. The dialogue will be moderated by journalist and host Jasmin Jouhar.
World Design Capital Frankfurt RheinMain 2026
In the afternoon, Barbara Lersch, Programme Director, and Kai Rosenstein, Chief Experience Officer of World Design Capital Frankfurt RheinMain 2026, will talk about Design for Democracy. Atmospheres for a better life. Their presentation will highlight how WDC 2026 is positioning the region as a platform for groundbreaking design and creative approaches, and how it is providing impetus for a better future. They will also provide an outlook on the 2026 programme year and the significance of the initiative for Frankfurt Rhine-Main.
Ambiente Designer of the Year 2025
The last inspiring lecture of the day will be given by Ambiente Designer of the Year Fabian Freytag. With ‘The Lounge – Shades of Space’, he has created a special presentation in Galleria 1 – a space that combines meeting, retreat and productive work. The presentation invites visitors to experience design as a balance between function and atmosphere. In his lecture, Freytag talks about his interpretation and reveals what he believes is essential for future restaurant spaces.
The Designer Day will conclude with a get-together and welcome address by Julia Uherek, Vice President Consumer Goods Fairs, Messe Frankfurt GmbH, and Lutz Dietzold, Managing Director of the German Design Council and member of the WDC 2026 Board of Trustees.
The Designer Day will take place in the foyer of the Saal Europa, Halle 4.0, as part of the Conzoom Solutions Academy. The events will be held in German and English.
For more information, see the Ambiente event programme 2025.

Ambiente
Messe Frankfurt
07. – 11. Feb. 2025
Designer Day
Halle 4.0, Saal Europa
08. Feb. 2025
11 am – 4 pm
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