Why is now the right time to think about what’s coming next? How can we design for a future that doesn’t follow a single path? And how can we avoid getting lost in a fast-paced world—and instead create ahead of the curve? A new economic era is transforming how we work, create, and design. This isn’t just another cycle—it’s a fundamental shift in the rules of the game, with design playing a key role. Technologies are connecting disciplines, offices are becoming dynamic ecosystems, and it’s not just about what we know, but what we can do with it.

Raphael Gielgen from the Swiss company Vitra has been mapping the future of work for years. Every year, he visits dozens of companies and universities around the world to understand how work environments are created that activate and inspire people. His findings are compiled in the Panorama trend map, which serves as a compass for anyone designing spaces for people.

This theme was further explored in a talk by forecaster, mentor, and Google Certified Trainer Pavlína Louženská.