What is Design?

Design is the operating system of human existence. Along with other applied arts like architecture, design is where art meets life, then dares to ask, “What if?” It’s the bridge between imagination and reality, shaping how we see, learn, think, connect, and navigate the world. From a typeface to a transit map, a protest poster to a coffee table book, design is everywhere.

Design isn’t an afterthought at the Walker Art Center. It’s a guiding force. Our in-house Design Studio is an award-winning engine of creativity, responsible for everything from exhibition graphics to publications and brand identity. It’s also a site for experimentation: a place where ideas are explored, books become objects of art, and technology enhances how we engage with the big ideas of our time.

Design at the Walker also lives in the open. Through our experimental publishing program, the Walker Reader, and Idea House 3—our retail space devoted to contemporary design—we spotlight creators who challenge conventions. Our omnibus design exhibitions explore themes that cut across disciplines, surfacing how design responds to and reshapes the world we live in. And every year, the Insights Design Lecture Series brings global design thinkers to Minneapolis to share how they’re redefining the field. From legends to emerging voices, each talk opens a door to what design can be next.

So what is design? It’s a visual language. A problem-solving mindset. A set of rules continuously broken and rewritten. At the Walker, it’s also a conversation: one that invites everyone in, whether you’re a student, professional creative, or simply curious.

Design doesn’t just decorate. It defines. And when it’s done right, it understands you, so you can understand the world.