International Conference “Future of Product Design” @ Tallinn Design Festival 2026

The international conference “Future of Product Design” explores how rapid technological change, the growing influence of artificial intelligence, advances in material innovation and rising sustainability expectations are reshaping the next stages of product design.

As the world becomes increasingly complex, designers are challenged to navigate this complexity, adopt emerging tools intelligently and create solutions that are responsible, meaningful and genuinely needed.

Bringing together leading international thinkers and practitioners, the conference examines what intelligent, future-proof and purpose-driven product design can look like in the years ahead.

Design Conference schedule

09.45 Gathering with coffee

10.00 Introduction
Ilona Gurjanova (EST)
Founder and Main Organiser of the Tallinn Design Festival

10.15 Welcome
Bianka Soe
Estonian Ministry of Culture

10.30 Resilient Design for an Uncertain Future
Luke Pearson (UK)
Co-Founder & Director, Pearson Lloyd

11.00 Fake It Till You Fail It: Why Your CGI Renders Are Lying to You
Richard Hall (UK)
CMgr MCMI, FRSA

11.30 Le Design des Choses (The Design of Things)
Jean Louis Frechin (FRA)
Founder, NoDesign / Designer & Author

11.50 Coffee

12.15 The Weight of Lightness
Ilkka Suppanen (FIN)
Studio Suppanen / Designer & Architect

12.45 Strategies for Moving freely - How to be a designer today
Jenny Nordberg (SWE)
Industrial Designer

13.05 Earning the Right to Look Like Itself
Siim Karro (EST)
Designer & Co-Founder, Myceen

13.25 Lunch

14.15 Sustainability by Design: The Beauty of Responsibility in Vitra’s Vision for the Future
Jaume Domenech (GER)
International Markets & Global Business Development, Vitra

14.45 Design as a Business Weapon — Not a Service
Hallgrim Sagen (NOR)
Managing Partner, Lomi Agency / Former Director of Design, Cisco

15.05 North by Design: where the future takes shape!
Srini R. Srinivasan (USA)
CEO & Founding Board Member, Don Norman Design Award / WDO Senator & Past President

15.35 Panel (moderator Srini R. Srinivasan)

16.00 End of Conference

To support the wider design and spatial culture community, a community ticket is available for students and members of the Estonian Association of Designers, the Estonian Association of Interior Architects and the Association of Estonian Architects.

The ticket includes access to the conference and lunch.