An exhibition by the Vitra Design Museum and the Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona.
In spring 2027, the Vitra Design Museum will explore the timeless and highly relevant subject of human sleep. Taking as its point of departure the ways in which sleep is shaped by cultural, design, economic, and technological forces the exhibition examines its role in contemporary society. How have artificial lighting and modern working environments transformed our sleeping habits? What impact do digitalisation and constant connectivity have today? And how can design improve sleep?
Focusing on changing human sleep patterns, the evolution of beds and sleeping environments, and cultural ideas of the body, intimacy, and dreams, the show also casts a critical eye on the socio-political conditions shaping our access to sleep and rest. Bringing together works from design, art, architecture, literature, and film with insights from sleep research, it offers a compelling perspective on that third of our lives we spend asleep—an essential yet still largely enigmatic realm.
