Promotion: taking place from 6 to 11 October, the annual festival Designblok has returned to Prague under the theme Light, spotlighting a diverse range of projects and talks that explore "knowledge, truth, hope and life".
The festival celebrates its 28th edition, bringing together more than 300 designers, studios and brands from the Czech Republic and internationally, and featuring an extensive programme of exhibitions, installations, talks and awards ceremonies across historic venues in the city.
One of the festival's biggest attractions is its Designblok Talks conference, moderated by Dezeen's co-CEO Benedict Hobson and editorial director (special projects), Max Fraser.
From 6 to 7 October, the talks, co-curated by Dezeen, welcomed over 45 international speakers to explore three key themes: Future of Design, Future of Architecture and Future of Living.
Speakers included designers Lee Broom, Claudio Silvestrin, Sebastian Herkner, Laurids Gallée, Daniel Rybakken and Christophe Delcourt; artist Stanley Wong; CEO of Magis Spa, Alberto Perazza; and vice president of Fondation d'entreprise Hermès, Pascale Mussard Siegrist.
Among the interdisciplinary professionals participating in the festival is Dutch designer Marcel Wanders, who is the principal guest of honour of Designblok 2026 and laureate of this year's Designblok Award for Outstanding Contribution to Global Design.
The awards ceremony, which will celebrate Wanders' contributions to design, from his Knotted Chair to his collaborations with the brands Flos and Moooi, takes place on 8 October in the Central Hall of the Industrial Palace at Výstaviště Praha. It will also include a talk by Max Fraser.
DesignBlok is the first major event to open the historic Central Hall of the Industrial Palace to the public following an extensive four-year reconstruction.
"To receive this award is a great honour, not only for the work I have done, but for the belief that imagination, beauty and emotion still have an important place in the world we are building together," said Wanders.
New for its 2026 edition, the festival also presents the Retro Lamps: Forgotten Stories of Czechoslovak Design exhibition at the Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague, spotlighting three decades of regional design.
The showcase features mass-produced table, floor and pendant lamps created between the 1950s and 1980s, highlighting forgotten designers of the period.
British designer Lee Broom also presents Beacon, a light installation created with Czech lighting brand Brokis, on Jan Palach Square in front of the Rudolfinum.
The sculptural piece resembles a giant chandelier and was crafted from recycled glass.
Another exhibition curated for the 28th festival is Design for Václav Havel, commemorating the 90th anniversary of the late Czech president's birth.
The display in the Riding Hall at Prague Castle explores design choices made by Havel and features his original presidential office, which is on view at the castle for the first time in 24 years, especially for the festival.
Also on show at Prague Castle is the fourth edition of the curated exhibition High Craft.
Over twenty Czech designers' and brands' work is on display, offering contemporary interpretations of traditional crafts, whilst also spotlighting their future development through innovative technologies and environmentally conscious approaches.
At Prague Castle, designer and artist Eva Eisler also exhibits Circle of Silence in the Chapel of the Holy Cross, using light to heighten visitors’ perception of "space, silence and presence".
Also taking place at Prague's Industrial Palace, Diploma Selection, an exhibition of graduate projects from students across Europe, returns for its 12th iteration, featuring 15 pieces presented in a fashion show to be held on 10 October.
"Within this broader context, we will examine the influence and role of design in today’s world," said Jana Zielinski, director of DesignBlok.
"Does design have the power to improve the state of the world? How does it contribute to development and quality of life? What movement and order can it bring to the way we address our problems?" Zielinski adds.
"These are the questions we will explore through exhibitions, discussions and lectures."
To learn more about Designblok, visit its website.
Photography is courtesy of Designblok.
Designblok takes place from 6 to 11 October 2026. See Dezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world.
Partnership content
This article was written by Dezeen for Designblok as part of a partnership. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.