German Design Council
The Platform for Design and Innovation
For more than 70 years, the German Design Council has been driving awareness of the relevance of design and innovation. Its founding was approved by the First German Federal Parliament in 1953; ever since, it has strengthened the competitiveness of companies through design.
The German Design Council is Germany’s central organisation for promoting design as an economic driver. Founded in 1953 following a decision by the First German Federal Parliament, it now connects more than 300 member companies and experts from business and design through knowledge transfer, collaborations and awards. Its goal is to unlock the potential of design for a sustainable future.
Since 2012, the German Design Council has set new standards for excellence in design with the German Design Award. The German Brand Awards followed in 2016 – celebrating brands that stand out through strategic clarity, creative excellence and sustainable impact. Always in focus: transformation through quality, attitude and vision.
Non-Profit Status
As a platform for dialogue between business, research, politics and design, the German Design Council serves as a central intermediary between design practice and economic impact.
Young talent is specifically supported through programmes such as German Design Graduates and German Design Award Newcomer. The institutional infrastructure of the German Design Council Foundation includes a library – one of the most comprehensive collections of international design literature in Germany, with around 20,000 books, audiovisual media and approximately 40 international specialist journals – which is freely accessible to the public.
A historic photo archive containing around 40,000 images documenting modern design is also available to the public free of charge in digital form.
Through the German Design Museum Foundation, the German Design Council supports, among other initiatives, an institution that provides educational programmes for children, young people and teachers throughout Germany, helping to strengthen design literacy.
Further Awards and Competitions
Whether it's strong brands, groundbreaking innovations, visionary architecture, or the design talent of tomorrow – the German Design Council honours exceptional achievements. With a wide range of awards and competitions, it makes excellence in design visible and fosters talent, values, and future ideas.
Commitment
The German Design Council is actively committed to strengthening the economic relevance of design, brand and innovation – through memberships, partnerships and the promotion of targeted projects and initiatives. At the same time, it drives forward key topics such as digital transformation and the integration of sustainability into corporate culture. Here’s a look at this ongoing commitment.
