PASSAGEN

“Turn down the lights,” “Turn on the TV,” “What will the weather be like today?” — a networked habitat with programmable automatic services. In the Smart City, digital networks connect you permanently with the outside world, and your living areas are part of a huge digital organism. There’s no doubt that the spaces we live in are an essential, and still a physical, component of our humanity. Material things remain, but they change along with the interiors we live in.

The interior design of the places we live in has probably never been as exciting, multifaceted and debatable as it is today. The “Passagen” design festival features the crème de la crème of the international design scene and offers you fascinating insights into current designs and furniture.

Urban trends, newcomers and networks

At the biggest design event in Germany, product design, architecture and interior design present themselves in an urban context — and offer a platform for the latest news in the areas of interior design, product design and urban trends. The protagonists at Passagen are architects, agents, associations and exciting newcomers. Here you can also see the classic standouts and young networks in the fields of architecture and interior design.

A happening concept: more than 100 design events scattered throughout the city

In addition to exhibitions and presentations of furniture, accessories and lighting, Passagen offers happenings such as concerts, vernissages and other events in a wide range of venues. The traditional Passagen venues are located in the Cologne neighbourhoods of Deutz and Ehrenfeld as well as in Cologne’s city centre, along the Ring and in the Rheinauhafen (Rheinau Harbour). For several days, Cologne becomes the meeting point of the international design scene — and a veritable mecca for you as a design tourist.

Design in the context of Modernism

The topics of sustainability and environmentalism also play a role at Passagen — and the events, exhibitions and activities shine a bright light on a broad spectrum of themes such as transformation, popular culture, aesthetics and urbanism. Have a great time exploring!