Australia’s largest design event, Melbourne Design Week, returns 14–24 May with more than 400 events unfolding across the city.
Staged at venues including National Gallery of Victoria, Abbotsford Convent and the Victorian Pride Centre, the program positions design as a force shaping technology, furniture, food, fitness and the built environment. In 2025, the event drew more than 100,000 attendees – its largest audience to date.
This year’s program sees Japanese industrial designer Shunji Yamanaka delivering a keynote at the National Communication Museum, presenting work that traverses prosthetics, robotics and product design. At Melbourne School of Design, a keynote and exhibition will mark 25 years of practice by Alison Page, foregrounding Blak design methodologies and their capacity to shape everyday Australian life. US architect Tom Kundig is also slated to speak at NGV, extending the program’s international reach.
Interior architecture is a focal point at NGV International, where Mary Featherston will appear in conversation with Anthony Burke, reflecting on the enduring legacy of her mid-century collaborations. David Flack will present a one-night-only talk examining the evolution of his Melbourne-based practice. NGV’s Interior Design Day on 23 May will convene practitioners for a full program of discussions in the Great Hall.
The intersection of design and hospitality also anchors the 2026 offering. A conversation between executive chef Hugh Allen and architect John Wardle will unpack the making of Melbourne fine-diner Yiaga, while exhibitions such as Table Manners, curated by Georgia Smedley, explore contemporary and historical approaches to object and tableware design.
Furniture and object design remain central to the week’s industry focus. Presented by Stylecraft and NGV, the Australian Furniture Design Award will respond to the 2026 theme “Living Well Living Small,” awarding a $20,000 prize and development opportunity. Finalists’ works will be exhibited in Stylecraft’s new Collins Street showroom, with the winner announced on 13 May.
The Melbourne Art Book Fair will again transform NGV International into a marketplace for local and international publishers, reinforcing the event’s commitment to graphic and print culture.
See the full program here.
Source: Architecture - architectureau
