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The City of Helsinki and Helsinki Design Week have granted the Helsinki Design Award for Designs for a Cooler Planet. According to the jury, the exhibition and its surrounding programme have become a meeting place where a better future is designed – also for the urban environment.

“Designs for a Cooler Planet is unique in both its scale and diversity. The festival’s team brings together researchers, teachers, designers, manufacturers, producers, and curators, all united by a focus on shaping a better future for our planet,” says Kari Korkman, founder of Helsinki Design Week.

Now in its seventh edition, Designs for a Cooler Planet has grown steadily in scale and popularity. From just a few thousand visitors in its first year, the exhibition now attracts more than 10,000 people annually, evolving from a quick pilot into Aalto’s biggest annual exhibition.

“We need the ability to conceptualise and imagine the future. Every meaningful change begins with the capacity to fundamentally reimagine things. The projects at Designs for a Cooler Planet help to make alternative futures visible – futures where there is room for hope and sustainable solutions,” says Enni Äijälä, Artistic Director of the exhibition.

The exhibition features experiments, solutions, and prototypes from the intersections of science, art, technology, and business. This year’s theme, Acts of Change, highlights that the world will not become a better place by itself – it must be made so. Visitors can explore insights in areas such as construction, health, and new materials.

One of this year’s innovations is a mobile brain-body imaging technology being developed for the early detection of dementia. Today, at least 50 million people worldwide live with memory disorders, and this number is expected to double within the next 20 years. New AI-enabled methods for earlier and more accurate detection could significantly improve the quality of life for millions.

“An exhibitions like this plays a vital role in bridging the gap between advanced university research and the wider community. They offer a unique platform for researchers and research groups to present their state-of-the-art innovations, making complex ideas accessible and inspiring to all, says research fellow Shrikanth Kulashekhar.

The award was presented to Designs for a Cooler Planet at the opening of Helsinki Design Week on 4th September 2025.

In addition to the main exhibition at the Marsio building (5 Sept – 28 Oct 2025), the programme also includes lectures, workshops, and film screenings.