Transform!

With this imperative title, the Vitra Design Museum recently opened a new special exhibition: Until 1 September, ideas around the theme of "Design and the future of energy" will be presented in Weil am Rhein.

by Elisabeth Bohnet | 3/22/2024

From the end of March 2024, the comprehensive topic of the current and future use of energy will be explored in four chapters: The first section is all about "power", i.e. strength and power at the same time. People and their changing relationship to energy issues are visualised using political posters from recent decades. The second section, entitled "Energy Tools", presents individual energy independence, i.e. designs for a life "off grid", detached from the public energy network. Charles and Ray Eames, for example, built the Solar Do-Nothing Machine back in 1957, a movable sculpture powered by solar energy.

Charles und Ray Eames, Solar Do Nothing Machine, 1957
Photo: © Eames Office / LLC

XTU architectes, X_Land, Rendering, 2020
Photo: XTU architectes

The third chapter is dedicated to architecture that implements solutions for energy autonomy in the building sector, such as Werner Sobek's residential Plus Energy Qaurter P18 in Bad Cannstatt or energy-saving spatial concepts without high-tech by TAKK architecture. Examples from the mobility sector are also subsumed under "Transformer". The fourth section, "Future Energyscapes", recognises that energy must still be used for all these new innovations and that technology must be made available for their production and storage. It is dedicated to the question of what future energy landscapes could look like.

With his exhibition, curator Jochen Eisenbrand invites visitors to explore the multifaceted topic of "energy" as a social challenge and creative opportunity – we are excited!

Transform! Design and the future of energy
23 March 2024 until 01 September 2024

Vitra Design Museum
Charles-Eames-Strasse 2
79576 Weil am Rhein

Opening hours:
Daily, 10 am - 6 pm