Future Forward winners vienna 2026

BLICKFANG is not only a platform for established labels, but also a springboard for the designers of tomorrow. With the Future Forward Award, presented in cooperation with the D.E.S.I.G.N. Foundation, BLICKFANG recognises emerging talents who are shaping the future of design with fresh ideas, sustainable concepts, and bold approaches.

In Vienna, two labels are receiving the award this year – both demonstrating in very different ways how innovative and forward-thinking contemporary design can be today.

RUND Biomodular Design

With RUND Biomodular Design, BLICKFANG welcomes a label that literally lets design grow. Founded by Max and Andy in Berlin, the studio develops modular furniture and interior objects made from mycelium and industrial by-products. Instead of conventional manufacturing, the focus is on a biological growth process.

The material is based on tinder fungus mycelium and hemp residues, creating a fully biodegradable composite that is lightweight, sound-absorbing, and surprisingly robust. This living material is used to create seating, acoustic panels, and other objects that bring together research, craftsmanship, and contemporary design.

RUND rethinks materials from the ground up and demonstrates how the principles of a circular economy can be both functional and aesthetically compelling. The label operates at the intersection of architecture, interior design, and material innovation, opening up new perspectives on the future of living.

Wontek

The Warsaw-based label Wontek, founded in 2025 by designer Staś Stupkiewicz, combines traditional weaving techniques with digital manufacturing. Inspired by the patterns, colours, and textures of handwoven fabrics, the studio sees 3D printing as a contemporary form of weaving: layer by layer, ornamental surfaces emerge that are both precise and surprisingly vibrant.

The collection includes customisable lighting and interior objects, all designed and manufactured in Warsaw. The label is characterised by the interplay of craft-inspired techniques, playful ornamentation, and machine precision. The result is a collection of objects that feel familiar while speaking an entirely new design language.

Wontek impressively demonstrates how digital technologies can carry traditional design ideas into the future – not as a replacement for craftsmanship, but as its creative evolution.

A Glimpse into the Future of Design

With RUND Biomodular Design and Wontek, BLICKFANG is recognising two labels that approach the future of design in very different ways: one lets furniture grow from biological materials, while the other translates centuries-old weaving traditions into the language of 3D printing. Together, they demonstrate how innovative, experimental, and poetic young design can be today.

Want to experience the Future Forward winners in person? Get your ticket now and join us at BLICKFANG Vienna!