Ten European designers, five international teams and four days of exchange at designforum Wien during Vienna Design Week
Vienna, 27 September 2026. After four intensive days during Vienna Design Week, designaustria announces the winning projects of the Next Gen Design Residence Vienna 2026. The residency brought together ten international creatives, all winners of the Next Gen Design Open Call. To encourage cross-cultural exchange, they worked in five international pairs. The award ceremony took place on Sunday, 27 September, at designforum Wien in MuseumsQuartier Wien.
The winners
1st Prize (€1,000): Abril Poblet Baringo and Sara Bologna with the project “UNDERLAY – URBAN AQUATIC HABITAT“
2nd Prize (€600): Natalia Valverde Garrido and Emily Klein
3rd Prize (€400): Jana Valdé Cusachs and Kelly Azevedo Galvão
The teams were evaluated on innovation, relevance and presentation skills. The jury consisted of Barbara Gollackner, Evija Kraukle (BEDA), Tamara König (designaustria) and Eugenia Marti (Barcelona Design Week).
Winners: Sara Bologna (left) and Abril Poblet (right) together with the Next Gen Design Project Team.
The winning project: “UNDERLAY – URBAN AQUATIC HABITAT“
The material: Vienna is projected to generate 15,000 tonnes of street-sweeping waste (Straßenkehricht) by 2030, according to the Umweltbericht SUP zum Wiener Abfallwirtschaftsplan & Abfallvermeidungsprogramm 2025–2030. Due to its high mineral content, this waste has a very low calorific value (below 4.5 MJ/kg) and is generally directed towards thermal treatment for energy recovery.
UNDERLAY explores an alternative: turning this underused waste stream into a material for modular bathing infrastructure.
BROAD IMPACT. Circular Economy: By diverting street-sweeping waste into a new material application, UNDERLAY supports resource recovery and contributes to improving the efficiency of Vienna’s waste-management system. The concept aligns with the city’s ambition to recover 100% of unavoidable waste by 2050 and its target of climate neutrality by 2040.
Climate Adaptation: As Vienna’s summers grow hotter, demand for accessible bathing spaces is increasing. With temperatures exceeding 30°C for two to three weeks each year, UNDERLAY explores how modular infrastructure could create additional room for swimming along the Alte and Neue Donau.
Biodiversity & Conservation: UNDERLAY focuses on four native mussel species experiencing documented local declines in the river area. By integrating bathing infrastructure with the protection of aquatic habitats, the concept aims to support the food webs these species are part of and contribute to preserving local biodiversity.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PROJECT. ; Contact: Abril at a.poblet.baringo@gmail.com and Sara at info@sarabologna.com.
The assignment: revealing value in what already exists
The group work was set by designer and mentor Barbara Gollackner. It was inspired by her project Rest in Beauty, which works with material leftovers from regional craft sectors in Austria, such as wood, glass and stone workshops.
The guiding question was how design can reveal value in what already exists. Instead of designing something completely new, the residents were asked to identify existing resources in Vienna, whether materials, infrastructures, communities or systems, and to transform them into a more resilient future use.
After the group presentations, Barbara Gollackner gave personal feedback to every designer, which made the process as valuable as the result.
Mentors
Alongside the programme of talks, workshops, studio visits and guided tours, the residents were mentored by four experienced professionals:
Barbara Gollackner, designer, on sustainability design and working with material leftovers
Reanne Leuning, Austrian Federal Economic Chamber (WKO), on internationalisation opportunities for creatives
Lotte Kristoferitsch, social design researcher, on her work and projects for EOOS next
Juan Umbert Rosselló, Barcelona, on gastronomy innovation for global and regional brands
Collaboration over competition
The atmosphere throughout the residency was friendly and cooperative rather than competitive. The residents became friends and, iperhaps, potential future business partners. Jury members, mentors and all involved designers exchanged contacts, adding to the growing Next Gen Design network.We extend our warmest congratulations to all participants for their exceptional research and creative output.
About the Next Gen Design Residencies
Next Gen Design Residencies take place at every participating design festival: Mikser Festival, Barcelona Design Week, What Design Can Do / Dutch Design Week, designaustria duringVienna Design Week and Skopje Design Week. Each festival awards €2,000 in prizes, for a total annual prize fund of €10,000 dedicated to supporting emerging European creative talent.
