In a world shaken by economic turbulence, technological acceleration and climate emergencies, design is positioning itself as a lever for social, ecological and cultural transformation. This is the central message of the Cumulus Design Declaration 2025, an international manifesto calling for a profound rethinking of design practices towards a regenerative, inclusive and planet-centred approach.
© Cumulus Association
The signatories, from left to right : Miaosen Gong, Monica di Ruvo, Teresa Franqueira, Satu Miettinen, Anne Pikkov, Archana Surana, Nicola Morelli, Luisa Collina, Lorenzo, Imbesi, Yrjö Sotamaa, Christian Guellerin, Natacha Lallemand and Roberto Inigues.
This ambitious text, the outcome of two years of consultation within the Cumulus network - which brings together more than 400 art, design and architecture schools in 60 countries - marks a pivotal evolution from the Kyoto Declaration of 2008. In a context of geopolitical instability, resource depletion and widening social inequalities, the signatories affirm that design can no longer be confined to functional or aesthetic innovation: it must now be a vehicle for justice, peace and resilience.
'It is no longer just about designing for humans, but with and for all living systems. Design is becoming a political, ethical and deeply collective act', says Lorenzo Imbesi, President of the Cumulus association and professor at Sapienza University in Rome.
A declaration for our times
Entitled "Reaffirming design's commitment to inclusion, collaboration and innovation for the benefit of the planet in the face of contemporary global challenges", the declaration calls on the design world to break away from past anthropocentric models. It promotes a "pluriversal" approach that embraces diverse forms of knowledge, from emerging technologies to indigenous wisdom, and places designers at the heart of today's democratic, social and environmental challenges.
'Design must stop merely accompanying competitiveness and growth. It must initiate the necessary transitions, as a critical and creative driving force,' emphasises Roberto Iniguez, vice-rector at Tecnologico de Monterrey (Mexico) and co-leader of the initiative.
Five core pillars
The declaration is structured around five major commitments :
- Transitioning from sustainable design to regenerative design.
- Embracing radical inclusivity rooted in solidarity and social justice.
- Promoting transdisciplinary collaboration to respond to technological disruptions (AI, biotechnology, post-human futures);
- Decolonising practices and valuing vernacular and ancestral knowledge.
- Championing an ethic of care, empathy and peace in design practice.
'Design is not neutral. It shapes behaviour, spaces and social dynamics. As students, we have a responsibility to reinvent its codes and ensure it serves the common good', says Ayna Seddigh, an international student at L'École de design Nantes Atlantique (France) and Cumulus student ambassador.
A global call to action
Signed by leading voices in the global design community, including Yrjö Sotamaa (Finland, founder of the Cumulus association), this declaration is also a call to action. It urges schools, institutions and companies to rethink their curricula, business models and relationship with innovation. In a world on the brink, it affirms that design can, and must, become a driver of resilience and hope.
The declaration layout was designed by Ruedi Baur, whose bold visual style reflects the diversity and energy of the declaration's message.
List of signatories:
Mariana AMATULLO, PhD – TEC de Monterrey, Mexico
Luisa COLLINA, PhD – Politecnico di Milano, Italy
Monica DI RUVO, PhD – Cape Peninsula University of Technology, South Africa
Teresa FRANQUEIRA, PhD – University of Aveiro, Portugal
Miosen GONG, PhD – Jiangnan University, China
Christian GUELLERIN – L'École de design Nantes Atlantique, France
Lorenzo IMBESI, PhD – Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
Roberto INIGUEZ FLORES, PhD – TEC de Monterrey, Mexico
Natacha LALLEMAND, PhD – Ecole Duperré, France
Satu MIETTIENEN, PhD – University of Lapland, Finland
Nicola MORELLI, PhD – Aalborg University, Denmark
Anne PIKKOV – Estonian Academy of Art, Estonia Yrjö SOTAMAA – Aalto University, Finland
Archana SURANA – ARCH College of Design and Business, India
Makato WATANABE, PhD – Chiba University, Japan
More information:
Cumulus Association
contact@cumulusassociation.org
www.cumulusassociation.org