Russell was one of the earliest members and collaborators of Extinction Rebellion, a global movement to persuade governments to act on the climate emergency.
Russell is a UK graphic designer who creates groundbreaking identities for cultural movements and causes. He is a co-founder of This Ain’t Rock’n’Roll, a London-based studio whose client list includes the Tate, The National Gallery, Right to Repair etc. His work has won multiple awards (he turned down the nomination for Design of the Year in 2019 for his Extinction Rebellion work) and is in permanent collections at V&A, British Museum, MOMA and the Smithsonian.
He was a central part of the team that created the movement’s distinctive visual identity. The design work was released with a Do-It-Together message inspiring artists, activists and designers to use, interpret and add to the original design. Russell also co-founded the artist collective Ocean Rebellion and helped start the Museum of Care and the David Graeber Institute where he remains a collaborator.
As a member of WEF’s Global Futures Council on Synthetic Biology, Chieza advocates integrating design, culture and biotechnology in policy development.
Chieza is a UK visionary designer and thought-leader working at the forefront of biophilic design. She is the founder and CEO of Faber Futures and a co-founder of Normal Phenomena of Life (NPOL). Launched in 2018, Faber Futures is a pioneering design agency that melds consumer biotechnology advancements with real-world applications. In 2023, Chieza co-founded NPOL, a consumer brand. NPOL makes tangible how biotechnology can generate new, beautiful materials that support climate goals and the cultivation of resilient value chains for the bioeconomy.
Chieza’s approach involves broad-ranging partnerships across biotech, consumer sectors, and cultural institutions. Notable clients and commissioners include Ginkgo Bioworks, Adidas, World Economic Forum, La Biennale, Design Museum and Cooper Hewitt.
Kolade’s brand first collection is titled Return to Sender, and is made entirely out of waste textiles sourced from second-hand markets across Uganda. Each piece is redesigned and redistributed to the Global North, where the raw materials were originally bought and discarded.
Bobby Kolade is a fashion designer from Uganda who started his career in Berlin and Paris, cutting his teeth at major companies like Maison Margiela and Balenciaga. In 2018, he returned to his hometown of Kampala and was struck by the severe decline of the country’s textile industry. Today, he is the creative powerhouse behind BUZIGAHILL, an independent label that brings attention to this issue through art, clothing and activism.
As co-host of the podcast Vintage or Violence, Kolade further examines the true cost of the global fashion industry and the impact that waste colonialism has on local communities and ecosystems.
Through Zanat, Orhan fosters community growth by training young artisans and embraces sustainability and cultural preservation, ensuring each handcrafted piece enriches both living spaces and society.
Orhan is a former World Bank manager, who left Washington to revive his family’s legacy in Konjic, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Together with his brother Adem, Orhan co-founded Zanat, a company that merges centuries-old woodcarving techniques with contemporary design. Their mission is not only to create beautiful, high-quality furniture but also to breathe new life into the UNESCO-listed “Konjic woodcarving” technique.
The foundation of Zanat goes back to their grandfather, Gano Nikšić, who mastered this ancient method of hand-carving. Today, Orhan’s leadership continues the tradition, expanding the business into a global luxury furniture brand that collaborates with internationally acclaimed designers such as Monica Förster, Harri Koskinen etc., blending modern aesthetics with traditional craftsmanship.
Fergus’s approach emphasizes that design should go beyond aesthetics, creating meaningful value for society, employees, and the environment through innovative business models, new materials, and advanced technologies.
Matej Fegus is a Slovenian entrepreneur, innovator, and advocate of sustainable design and circular economy. As the director of Donar d.o.o., he has transformed the company into a globally recognized leader in sustainable manufacturing.
Fegus received numerous awards, including CEED Global Entrepreneur of the Year 2014, Red Dot Award 2016, and Green Product Award 2018. His work with the Nico Less chair by Primoz Jeza earned the title Design of the Year 2017. In addition to Donar, he co-founded and co-owns several businesses focused on planning, communication, and sales. He was a co-organizer of the 1st conference on Sustainable Design for Transition to Circular Economy.
As a curator of Mediamatic’s Bio-Me program, Waal developed a cross-disciplinary platform exploring brewing practices and design with micro-organisms, focusing on yeasts, fermentation, bacterial cultures, and beer brewing.
Henriette Waal holds a Bachelor’s degree from the Design Academy Eindhoven’s Man and Public Space Department and a Master’s degree in Interior Architecture from the Sandberg Institute in Amsterdam. She was a finalist for the Dutch Design Awards for her research on rural areas in the Netherlands and received the International Award for Public Art for her innovative placemaking approach.
Alongside founding several socially engaged art and design projects, she has been teaching since 2013 in the Social Design Master Program at the Design Academy Eindhoven and the Royal Academy of Art, The Hague. She currently serves as the Artistic and Research Director of Atelier LUMA in Arles.
The “Next Gen Design: Women Creating the Future of Design” masterclass, held on Friday, September 20, 2024, at designforum Wien, was a well-attended and meaningful event during VIENNA DESIGN WEEK. Organized by designaustria, the event brought together designers, professionals, and students to discuss important issues surrounding gender diversity, equality, and the future of design. The public networking event provided a platform for learning, discussion, and collaboration.
The event began with a welcome at designforum Wien, located in Vienna’s MuseumsQuartier MQ Wien. After the introductions, the curators presented two exhibitions: “INVISIBLE” and “Raum für Erregung” (Space for Agitation). Curators Johanna Wicht, Christine Poplavski and Kira Saskia Schinko guided the audience through these thought-provoking exhibits on the intersection of gender diversity and design.
Photo Credit: Evija Kraukle
Photo Credit: Evija Kraukle
The exhibitions set a reflective tone for the rest of the event, which continued with a series of impulse lectures by creative experts. Director of Mikser, Maja Lalic, an architect and urban designer based in Belgrade, shared her insights on how young designers can contribute to sustainable futures. Her presentation emphasized NextGenDesign as great opportunity for young people in Europe to connect and learn about forward-thinking design.
Photo Credit: Evija Kraukle
Next, Valentina Auer, an interior and graphic designer from Austria and a lecturer at the University of Applied Sciences in Salzburg, spoke about the need for sustainability and diversity within design processes. She underscored the importance of creating eco-friendly design solutions while incorporating diverse perspectives in the design industry.
Information designer Barbara Weingartshofer gave a data-driven presentation on the gender pay gap in the design profession, based on findings from her study “Frauen zählen” (Women Count). She outlined how gender inequalities continue to affect pay and career opportunities for women in design, providing valuable insights into ongoing challenges in the field.
Photo Credit: Evija Kraukle
Following the lectures, a panel discussion brought all the speakers and the exhibition co-curator together to explore these themes in more depth. Moderated by Sigrid Buerstmayr, a communication designer and assistant professor at FH Joanneum, the discussion allowed participants to engage with the speakers about how to drive change in the design industry. The audience actively participated, asking questions and contributing their own thoughts during the Q&A session.
The event concluded with an invitation to a follow-up meeting at designforum Wien on November 5, 2024 from four young designers – Lisa Stolz, Kerstin Pfleger, Therese Balslev, and Evija Kraukle – as part of the NextGenDesign Workshop for a young audience. This invitation encouraged attendees to continue their involvement in future NextGenDesign activities and discussions.
Overall, the masterclass and Edu Modules were successful in bringing attention to key issues of gender equality and diversity for more sustainability in design. The event fostered discussions, and participants signed up for further information on upcoming Next Gen Design initiatives, including Open Calls for residencies and future meetings hosted by designaustria.
After our highly anticipated first gathering in September, we kindly invite to our follow-up workshop to discuss what we – as the next generation of professional designers – want and need.
What do young designers want? What do young designers need?
This workshop is a further step to activating a network of young and new designers in Austria. Together with you, we want join the forces into a powerful creative voice. Come and meet our network of next generation of designers and . In this workshop we will get to know each other, determine the needs of our network and look for the next actionable steps.
