GDG Interconnected

Who would we be without the others?

Although design is a discipline that is mostly dedicated to the design of everyday life, exhibits in design exhibitions often remain untouchable. The projects exhibited here defy this unwritten norm. Instead, they serve as bridges, not only conceptually, but also in their immediate tangibility.



‘Who would we be without the others? Who would we be without their knowledge, their feelings, their touch? Although living together in harmony is not always easy, we can't help but live together. We need the experiences and perceptions of others in order to move forward and create something new. We need warmth and empathy to avoid feeling lonely. These principles apply to all aspects of life, including design. We design for and with people. We often have to work together to bring ideas to life,’ say the curators, Nina Sieverding and Anton Rahlwes, about the theme of the exhibition.

Touch is the sense of closeness, intimacy and affection

Historically, the sense of touch has played an important role in human culture. From the complex textures of ancient ceramics to the haptic feedback of modern technology, it was and is a constant companion when navigating the world. Or as the architect and philosopher Juhani Pallasmaa said: ‘The eye is the organ of distance and separation, while touch is the sense of closeness, intimacy and affection.’

This closeness is crucial when it comes to developing as a society. It is important to understand problems in order to solve them. In this way, touching becomes a transformative force that can help, for example, to communicate approaches to a circular economy or bring companies, designers and users closer together.

In this sense, the exhibition ‘The Magic Touch: Designing Togetherness’ aims to emphasise the role of touch and points of contact in design. Through interaction and tactile experiences, new relationships with designed objects and an inclusive understanding of the world and the people around us are created.