Hella Jongerius

So many things in our world seem to shout – design, it seems, is a loud profession. But it can also send its messages quietly, with nuance and deep insight. No one has demonstrated this for longer, or with greater clarity, than Hella Jongerius. Over the course of her career, she has helped to redefine her discipline by always considering it from both an aesthetic and ethical point of view. Her designs invite attention, rather than demanding it. Instead of shouting, they whisper, beckoning us to lean in, and learn.

The basis for the exhibition is Jongerius’ studio archive, acquired by the Vitra Design Museum in 2024. In this repository are gathered not only many commercial designs, but also the materialized thinking that surrounded their creation – tests, prototypes, and products – as well as experiments that her studio, Jongeriuslab, have undertaken simply to satisfy curiosity and enlarge understanding. In creating an exhibition out of this important body of material, we follow the principles that have always animated Jongerius: layering content, drawing connections, emphasizing materiality, exposure of process, and research into the meaning of design for society.

The exhibition is supported by Global Sponsor Maharam, Sponsor Camper, and the IKEA Stiftung  

Space
600 – 1,000 m² / 6,000 – 10,000 sq ft

Curator
Glenn Adamson

Assistant Curator
Marcella Hanika  

Exhibition Design
Harm Rensink

Graphic Design
Studio Joost Grootens

Detailed information
Illustrated Concept
Exhibition Film

Exhibition Tour
14.03.2026 – 06.09.2026, Vitra Design Museum, Weil am Rhein, Germany
23.10.2026 – 13.06.2027, Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe Hamburg, Germany

For further information please contact Cora.Harris@design-museum.de.

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