Designing what comes next: How community shapes the future of design

Brian Collins reflects on how the future of design is shaped not only by what designers create, but by what they build together. Drawing from recent community-led initiatives and experience-driven projects, the talk explores how shared dialogue, collaboration, and collective ambition expand the cultural and professional influence of the discipline.

At a time when the industry often celebrates individual success, the talk reframes progress as a communal effort, showing how intentional gatherings, meaningful conversations, and sustained networks strengthen creative practice and long-term impact. It highlights the role designers play in shaping environments where ideas can grow beyond the limits of individual studios or organisations.

This talk invites designers to consider what comes next for the field and how active participation in building communities can amplify both personal contribution and collective possibility, positioning design as a practice defined as much by connection as by craft.