100 topics, 100 Thursdays, 100 posters - on Thursday, 22 January 2026, the 100th edition of Design Discussion will take place at 8 pm at Fabrik Heeder (Studiobühne 2, Virchowstraße 130). Admission is free.
The 60-minute discussion format is celebrating its anniversary under the title "100 Design Discussions". Host Prof Dr Erik Schmid, Dean of the Faculty of Design at The Hochschule Niederrhein (HSNR), will be discussing this evening with Prof Bernd Grellmann, one of Design Discussion's longest-standing, most loyal and at the same time most critical companions. With his close ties to the format, he is the ideal dialogue partner for a joint reminiscence, an assessment of the current situation and an outlook on the future of the Design Discussion. Grellmann is an honorary professor in the Faculty of Design for the field of teaching Language, Text and Presentation. He was creative director at several international communications agencies.
The Design Discussion was launched in 2005 by Prof Dr Erik Schmid together with students as a curricular supplement to the design course. From the very beginning, the format saw itself as a bridge between the university, the city, business, culture and science. Because: "Design exists everywhere," says Schmid. Since 2009, there has been close cooperation with the cultural office of the city of Krefeld. The discussion topics always relate to the city, the region and culture. Over the years, the posters for the individual expenditures have been realised using various techniques in the Faculty of Design's workshops.
To mark the 100th edition, 100 times 100 postcards with motifs from the posters of all previous editions will be issued as part of the event. The proceeds from the sale will go to the support association of the Faculty of Design.
