Mingle reports in Russian interior design magazines, items in The New York Times and Le Figaro, page upon page in design journals, dailies and other trade press, and mentions on TV news programmes. No fewer than 250 journalists, from more than 26 countries, and from every kind of medium, covered FutureDesignDays 2005.

The progressive development of FutureDesignDays – indeed its raison d’être – is due to the fact that other people are interested in what’s going on, want to be part of the action and want to make a difference. Right from the start in 2001, the festival has, therefore, been based on close collaboration with people and organisations at all levels, from individual students, designers and architects to global companies, schools and universities.

FutureDesignDays Network comprises an invaluable contact network of designers, company executives, architects, university lecturers and many other distinguished experts in design and business. Being part of FutureDesignDays Network means that tremendous resources and knowhow are always just a phone-call or an e-mail away. FutureDesignDays Network creates unimaginable scope for innovative and progressive designers and companies.

More than 4,000 people come to FutureDesignDays every year, all of them with some special interest in design. And all of them on the lookout for new knowledge and experiences, intent on making new contacts and developing business opportunities. The festival is a veritable crucible for new partnerships, innovative design concepts and good business.

The Parties have become a highly popular and important part of the festival. They provide many fun opportunities to network and make contacts in relaxed and pleasant circumstances, and several FutureDesignDays partners schedule receptions and get-togethers for the festival. The climax of all these functions, which takes place in the Blue Hall in Stockholm City Hall, are the Design Awards Ceremonies in which the winners of the FutureDesignDays Award and other prestigious prizes are announced.

FutureDesignDays Lounge will be the unquestionable meeting place before and after the events on stage and in the pauses in-between. This is where everyone who is taking part in FutureDesignDays, whatever the extent or level of their participation, will be able to meet. Whether they are speakers, delegates, partners, people from the media, volunteers or organisers, everyone will be able to meet and network here.

The Breakout Sessions are exclusive forums, with much smaller audi-ences than the Conference, and most of the Breakout Session speakers, like all those who appear on the Conference stage, are world-leading designers, architects or company executives. Other Breakout Session speakers are influential niched players and opinion-formers.

The FutureDesignDays Conference, with its entertaining talk show format, provides insights into a subject of importance to all of us – tomorrow’s design. Delegates are offered a rich programme of edutainment (education as entertainment).

FutureDesignDays is a boundary-crossing design event. An international design festival where people who are interested in various aspects of design can meet, exchange experiences, build networks and develop their businesses.

The history of Future Design Days Award