Rethinking Design Exhibitions: How VR Can Shape Vienna Design Week 2026
Visiting Vienna Design Week 2025 in person was an inspiring experience for us at vron.one. Walking through the exhibitions, presentations, and installations, we quickly realized that our VR showroom technology is a perfect match for the spirit of innovation that defines Austria's leading design festival.
But instead of waiting for next year, we decided to create a vision of how Vienna Design Week 2026 could look in virtual reality. (After 4 Hours ) The result is a live example accessible to everyone:
- Explore our virtual showcase: VR Design Week 25 Example
- Discover VR with interactive sales integration: Shopify Plugin Version
This demonstration shows how design festivals can extend far beyond the boundaries of a physical event, reaching a global audience and unlocking completely new possibilities.
Why VR Belongs in Design Weeks
Design exhibitions are about experiencing creativity—seeing new forms, discovering materials and techniques, and connecting with visionary designers. Traditionally, this experience has been tied to physical locations. But virtual reality makes it possible to:
- Reach a global audience. Visitors no longer need to travel to Vienna—designers can share their works with collectors, buyers, and fans around the world.
- Extend the event beyond a single week. Once created, a curated VR showroom remains accessible year-round, keeping the visibility of designers and partners alive.
- Engage interactively. Unlike static photos or videos, VR spaces invite visitors to move, explore, and interact with exhibits as if they were physically present.
- Combine exhibition and commerce. With our Shopify integration, festival visitors can not only view designs but also purchase them directly in the VR environment.
This transforms the concept of what an exhibition can be: not only a showcase but also a connected experience that blends culture, innovation, and commerce.
The vron.one Experience
At vron.one, we specialize in making VR exhibitions accessible, photorealistic, and easy to integrate into existing online platforms. Our approach is tailored for events like Vienna Design Week:
- High-quality 3D showrooms built from real objects, CAD designs, or fully digital assets.
- Simple browser access requiring no special headset or downloads—works on desktop, tablet, and mobile.
- Interactive product layers that can include descriptions, videos, or direct links to shopping carts.
- Integration with Shopify for seamless e-commerce capability, turning an exhibition into a digital marketplace.
For our demonstration of how Vienna Design Week 2026 could look, we created fully explorable rooms where visitors can walk around, engage with exhibits, and switch between exhibition view and online shop mode.
Opportunities for Designers and Brands
This VR integration creates a new layer of opportunity:
- Independent designers can showcase their work globally, even if they cannot attend in person.
- Brands can create exclusive digital experiences, enhancing their presence at the festival.
- Organizers gain a powerful tool to archive, promote, and expand the reach of the festival.
- Visitors can relive their favorite installations or discover new ones months after the event.
With Vienna being known for both tradition and innovation, VR is a natural fit to amplify its role as a hub for design culture in Europe.
A Glimpse of Vienna Design Week 2026
Our example is not just a concept—it's a concrete preview of how Vienna Design Week could look next year:
- Immersive curated galleries for featured designers.
- Interactive storytelling in 3D space to showcase design philosophy and process.
- Direct purchase options for limited edition or collectible design items.
- Multi-language accessibility to open the event to visitors worldwide.
You can explore the concept already today:
The Future of Design Exhibitions
Vienna Design Week has always been about forward-thinking ideas. By adding virtual reality as a complementary layer, the festival can lead the way in redefining how people engage with design in the 21st century.
At vron.one, we are excited to continue developing solutions that make exhibitions more accessible, interactive, and future-proof. We see Vienna Design Week 2026 not just as an event, but as an open stage for innovation—both physical and virtual.
If you're a designer, curator, or brand looking to showcase your vision in VR, let's start shaping the future together.
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