HOPERAPERTA

 Design Beyond Things:
The first exhibition on European design organised by the European Union lands in Expo 2025 Osaka

Design Beyond Things. The Object as an Agent of Transformation is the official hybrid exhibition organised by the European Union (EU) at Expo 2025 Osaka running from 31 August to 13 September 2025. The project, conceived by Gaia Danese Main Curator and Coordinator of the EU Cultural Programme at Expo Osaka and was coordinated together with Federica De Giorgi, International Cultural Relations Seconded National Expert to the EEAS from the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Curated by Patrizia Catalano, architect, professional journalist and founder of HoperAperta, and Miriam Giordano, communication expert, founder and director of Labóh, produced by Labóh and HoperAperta. The collective hybrid exhibition is presented in the EU Pavilion and extended in theBaltic Pavilion, bringing together 35 design projects by leading designers from 17 European countries.

Expo 2025 Osaka, held on Yumeshima Island from 13 April to 13 October 2025 under the theme “Designing Future Society for Our Lives” and closely aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, is expected to welcome over 28 million visitors, and to place people at the centre of innovation, focusing on sustainability, digital transformation and social wellbeing.

Within this framework, Design Beyond Things explores new directions in European design and applied arts, fostering dialogue among EU member states, exchange with non-European cultures and highlighting the values and creative voices shaping European design on a global stage.

The opening event took place on the 4th of September at Expo 2025 Osaka. Thomas Gnocchi, Deputy Head of the EU Delegation to Japan, resepresented the European Union and gave a speech, together with the Commissioner General of Lithuania Ms. Lina Antanaviciene and Commissioner General of Latvia Ms. Lasma Lidaka and the presence of Concha Fernández de la Puente, EU Deputy Commissioner-General. Moderated by the curators,

The exhibition, starting from the principles of the New European Bauhaus, “Beautiful, Sustainable, Inclusive”, aims to invite visitors to reflect on the lexicon of European contemporary design at a time of profound social change and urgent need for new hopes for the future of both people and the planet. Through 17 selected pieces displayed on site to represent the entire group of works –many of them unique creations made specifically for the exhibition– and a video installation by artist Steve Piccolo –which features all the 35 design pieces and explores themes of permission, prohibition and the evolving language of design–, the exhibition highlights the transformative power of design: from the adoption of circular lifecycles and sustainable production to the recovery of both local and global identities.

The 35 works brought together embody a multiplicity of voices and approaches, spanning chairs, lamps, vases, tapestries and tatamis, crafted through glassmaking, woodworking, 3D printing, textile work, welding, marble carving and weaving. While deeply rooted in European traditions, these projects emerge from an ever-expanding cultural dialogue, shaped by collaborations with manufacturers whose technical expertise and local know-how are crucial in transforming ideas into reality.

“We sought out projects that went beyond aesthetics and functionality, objects that embodied ideas and values, offering visions for the future of our planet and our societies. Many of the works presented are entirely new, created specifically for Design Beyond Things, in collaboration with master artisans, the designers themselves in some cases, small independent companies, or established manufacturers committed to supporting authorial and experimental design” stated Miriam Giordano, co-curator of the exhibition, while Patrizia Catalano, the other co-curator, observes:

“The newer generations are not preoccupied with creating a common language of design. Rather, they are exploring a framework that was constructed in the 20th century, using it to send a message. Many young designers are creating their own languages at the interface between their own culture, environment, and materials, and the preexisting contemporary design language. They adapt traditional materials and techniques to contemporary technology and sustainability. One example of this is the move away from serialized production and towards a model of production on demand, enabled using 3D printers.”

●  Explorations in wood, one of Europe’s most symbolic materials: Anne Brandhøj’s Chamber sculpts trees sourced from Copenhagen; UND.Studio’s Requiem for a Tree creates stools referencing Germany’s endangered spruce, beech, and birch; and Akiko and Ken’s Bold experiments with steam-bent ash to create flexible seating. Maria Bruun’s Barrel Chair #1 showcases the organic expression of burl birch, while Antrei Hartikainen’s UURRE mirror revives Finnish linden carving traditions. Lilána Mészáros of VUUV Works presents Lāni Chair, crafted in maple walnut veneer.

●  Innovation through new techniques and sustainable material practices: Gaspard Fleury-Dugy presents Soft Objects, a totem of 3D-printed knitted vessels, while Budde’s Zenit lamp demonstrates the potential of sand 3D printing. Wendy Andreu’s Dragon Half an Armchair employs Regen textile skin with organic patterns that blur the chair’s volumes, and Raffaella Mangiarotti’s Aura wall lamp transforms natural stone into a source of light. The lamp is made from pieces of marble “discarded” by the Spanish company Nerinea.Thomas Waidhofer’s The Houndstooth seat is made from recycled T-shirts, and Paulineplusluis’s Neon lamp, crafted from industrial cable trays.

●  Cross-cultural encounters: BCXSY’s Knit Knot tapestry employs Japanese mizuhiki techniques with washi cords, while Mae Engelgeer Studio’s A Moment to Pause collaborates with tatami maker Mitsuru Yokoyama. Sabine Marcelis’ Yokan table reinterprets lacquerwork in the Kawatsura Shikki style, and Andreu Carulla’s Convento Lounge connects Catalan and Japanese cultures through design. Carmelo Zappulla’s Sigillo offers a luminous Mediterranean “gift of light” to Japan, while Kiki van Eijk’s Reconnecting the Earth’s Roots tapestry reflects the Netherlands’ historic role as a hub of exchange. GamFratesi’s Miau Chair blends Danish craftsmanship with Japanese sensibility, continuing this dialogue of cultures.

Thanks to the generous support of designers, companies, and institutions, the design pieces of seventeen authors were physically exhibited at Expo 2025 Osaka. At the EU Pavilion, visitors had the opportunity to discover and appreciate the works of Studio Mae Engelgeer (Netherlands), Kiki van Eijk (Netherlands), Carmelo Zappulla (Italy/Spain), Andreu Carulla (Spain), BCXSY (Netherlands), Inma Bermúdez Studio (Spain), Anne Brandhøj (Denmark), Claesson Koivisto Rune (Sweden), Gaspard Fleury-Dugy (France), GamFratesi (Denmark), Maria Jeglinska-Adamczewska (Poland), Raffaella Mangiarotti (Italy), PaulinePlusLuis (France).

Extended in the Baltic Pavilion, the exhibition has counted with the collaboration of the Latvian Design Centre, showcasing designers from Latvia and Lithuania whose projects are deeply engaged with the natural landscapes of the region. Studio Sarmīte presents PineSkins, a pouf crafted from pine inner bark; Gateris Works showcases the Freckled Chair, made from naturally branched wood and Dace Sūna introduces Sky-Set Light, a luminous sculpture in opalite glass inspired by the light created by pollution. From Lithuania, Austėja Platūkyte’s Invasive Vases are created with the locally invasive plant solidago gigantea Alton, while Mantas Lesauskas’s Peripheria is an oneiric candlestick combining minerals, aromatic resin and latex. Together, these works reflect the Latvia and Lithuania's ongoing dialogue between material experimentation and a profound engagement with nature.

Rooted in the values of the New European Bauhaus and aligned with the UN 2030 Agenda and Expo’s central theme, Design Beyond Things was complemented by a programme of talks and international exchanges. Together, they turned the EU Pavilion and the Belgian Pavilion into a space of ongoing dialogue about the role of design in transforming and improving our living environment.

The exhibition has been made possible thanks to the technical partnership of USM Modular Furniture, who have supported the set-up of the exhibition in the EU Pavilion with their iconic modular system.

Credits

Organised by the European Union
Curated by Patrizia Catalano and Miriam Giordano
Produced by Labóh and HoperAperta
With the support of the Baltic Pavilion and the Belgian Pavilion Technical partners: USM Modular Furniture
Exhibition Coordinators: Martina Barberis, Nicole Rambla Video and sound installation: Steve Piccolo, Gregory Piccolo Exhibition design: Antonio La Gioia
Graphic design: Valentina Pulian

Special thanks to Gaia Danese, Main Curator and Coordinator of the EU Cultural Programme at Expo Osaka, for envisioning Design Beyond Things, and to Federica De Giorgi, for their continuous support throughout its development.

Acknowledgements

Concha Fernández de la Puente, Hiroshi Kawaguchi, Marco Andrea Crivelli, Germán Ortiz, Ryuzo Mitsuhashi (IDÉE), Anders Kongskov and Kristian Kastoft (The Mindcraft Project), Katharina Horstmann, Stephan Hamel (Arte Applicata srl), Nicoló Lanfranchi, Ritsuko Mizuno, Wisse Trooster, Dita Danosa, Biruta Zimnicka, Ilaria Ventriglia Burke and Eri Sasaki.

Participating designers

Akiko and Ken (Denmark) Filipe Alarcão (Portugal) Wendy Andreu (France) Andreu Carulla (Spain)
Atelier Ad Hoc (Romania) BCXSY (the Netherlands) Inma Bermúdez Studio (Spain) Anne Brandhøj (Denmark) Maria Bruun (Denmark)

Budde Studio (Germany)
Álvaro Catalán de Ocón (Spain) Claesson Koivisto Rune (Sweden) Gaspard Fleury-Dugy (France) GamFratesi (Denmark)
Gateris Works (Latvia)

Antrei Hartikainen (Finland)
Maria Jeglinska-Adamczewska (Poland)
Mantas Lesauskas (Lithuania)
Raffaella Mangiarotti (Italy)
Sabine Marcelis (the Netherlands)
Liliána Mészáros, VUUV Works (Hungary) Paulineplusluis (Belgium)
Austėja Platūkytė (Lithuania)
Jan Plecháč (Czech Republic)
Klemens Schillinger (Austria)
Elena Salmistraro (Italy)
Studio Mae Engelgeer (the Netherlands)
Studio Π(Germany)
Studio Sarmīte (Latvia)
Dace Sūna (Latvia)
UND.studio (Germany)
Kiki van Eijk (the Netherlands)
Thomas Waidhofer (Austria)
Carmelo Zappulla – External Reference (Italy/Spain) Anna Zimmermann (Austria)

Companies and organisations supporting the participation of designers:

Adam Mickiewicz Institute Amorim Cork
Anegre
Bosa

Byborre
Copenhagen Hardwood Craft x Tech
Danish Arts Foundation External Reference
Faust Linoleum
Finsa
IDÉE Tokyo
Koyori
Latvian Design Centre Mitsuru Yokoyama Tatami

Moser Glassworks
Nerinea
Orrefors
Romanian Cultural Institute Sancal

Sandhelden
Tangent
The Form Follows
The Senior Solicitor L. Zeuthens Memorial Grant The Toyota Foundation
Union Sozialer Einrichtungen
Valsts Kultūrkapitāla fonds
Wallonie-Bruxelles International.