EXEMPLA münchen 2026

EXEMPLA münchen 2026 – Shaping the Future.

The future is not a matter of chance. It does not simply happen to us but is the logical consequence of our actions today. And that means we can actively shape the future. Under the motto ‘Shaping the future’, EXEMPLAmünchen 2026 presents craft businesses, artists, designers, initiatives and visionaries who have taken on the challenges of our time. Environmental protection, sustainability, energy efficiency and social fairness culminate here in concrete products or artistic works. From 04 to 08 March 2026, visitors can take a look at the future for themselves at «Handwerk & Design» in Hall B1!

How can we manage our resources sustainably? What promotes social cohesion? Which techniques, materials and traditions lead to sustainable products? And above all: what role does craftsmanship play on the path to a livable future?

EXEMPLAmünchen 2026 presents concrete solutions to these questions from a wide variety of areas of craftsmanship. 
Craftsmanship requires attitude: it combines technical skill with a deep understanding of materials and a sense of responsibility. That is why good craftsmanship is always a social process. 

Craftsmanship strengthens the region, creates community and preserves important values. But it is also experimental and adaptable, keen to try out new techniques and materials – with a sense of proportion and humanity. Because craftsmanship is not about short-term effects, but about durability. Things are not only made; they are also cared for, repaired and further developed. In short: craftsmanship can shape the future!

EXEMPLAmünchen 2026 provides concrete examples of all this. As ‘living workshops’, the creators demonstrate their work and products live on site and answer questions from the audience.

A prime example of the combination of tradition and innovative ideas for the benefit of environmental protection is a cold brick made from 100% recycled bricks by Leipfinger-Bader.

More than 200 million tons of construction waste are generated in Germany every year. In 2020, Leipfinger-Bader became the first brick manufacturer in Germany to commission its own recycling plant for demolition bricks in operation.
 
Conventional rotor blades are made of glass or carbon fibres. Because they are difficult to recycle, they often end up in the rubbish or are incinerated. This is harmful to the environment and represents a weak point in an otherwise highly resource-efficient wind power technology.

The rotor blades of the future are made of wood
Voodin Blade Technology uses laminated veneer lumber (LVL) for its rotor blades instead. Three wind turbines with blades measuring 20 metres in length have already been successfully installed, and larger rotor blades are currently in development.

In addition to the environmental protection aspect, the laminated wood blades strengthen the economic independence of the European Union: while many parts of the fibreglass and carbon blades are currently manufactured outside Europe, the rotor blades made of laminated wood can be produced within the EU.

Strengthening the location through arts and crafts: the Danish island of Bornholm has also succeeded in doing this. Dozens of ceramicists, glassmakers, jewellery designers, wood, metal and textile artists live on the island, making it the highest concentration of craftspeople in the whole of Denmark.

Arts and crafts as a tourist magnet
Leaders from politics, arts and crafts, and tourism have strengthened the vibrant scene and specifically marketed the island as ‘Maker's Island Bronholm’. As a result, in 2017 Bornholm was named ‘World Craft Region’ by the World Craft Council, the first region in Europe to receive this designation. The commitment has paid off: the island has become more visible internationally and attracts many visitors with its arts and crafts. In 2022, almost half of all tourists surveyed stated that arts and crafts experiences were among the most important attractions on the island for them.

Representing many other workshops on Bornholm, EXEMPLAmünchen 2026 presents the Glød Glass Studio of glassmakers Lene Dahl Jacobsen and Tobias Sode. The graphic patterns on their vases, bowls and carafes are created in many complicated steps, with fine lines running through the glass in sweeping, twisted spirals, as if patterned fabrics had been twisted and frozen into ice.
 
An interdisciplinary team developed acoustic partition walls from a wood-mycelium biocomposite material. Mycelium is the root-like network of fungi. The mycelium significantly improves the mechanical properties of the wood composite, primarily acting as a sound absorber and insulator.

For better load-bearing capacity, the mycelium was combined with three-dimensional lattice structures made of maple veneer strips.

Repairing means appreciating
EXEMPLAmünchen 2026 pays homage to the culture of repair in several ways: artist Ai Moliya demonstrates on site how to repair broken ceramics using the Japanese kintsugi technique.

With the help of urushi – a natural lacquer made from tree resin – the shards are glued together to make them waterproof and at the same time accentuated with gold: here, repair is not a defect, but reflects an appreciation of the object, which is often even more beautiful after repair thanks to the golden veins.

British artist Celia Pym takes a similar approach: she specialises in repairing textiles. Damage to clothing occurs mainly when it is worn frequently. If you darn and mend it in such a way that the repair remains visible, it becomes a symbol of the wearer's appreciation of their clothing.

Craftsmanship creates community
The social component of craftsmanship is also reflected at EXEMPLAmünchen 2026: The Neuburg-Herrenwörth correctional facility provides information about various opportunities for vocational training in juvenile detention. During their time in prison, inmates can learn various trades in the prison's workshops, including metalworker, carpenter, painter and varnisher, plant mechanic, electronics technician, butcher and cook. The intermediate or journeyman's examinations are recognised after release from prison. This means that young people can hope to find employment after their release – an important building block for getting back on their feet.

Sustainability, energy efficiency, resource-saving production, community, and social fairness are the issues of the future. And they are the themes of EXEMPLAmünchen 2026!


Opening hours: Wednesday to Sunday, 9:30 to 18:00 h.
Tickets: www.ihm.de
Access is barrier-free.
Guided tours for people with hearing impairments can be requested at exempla@hwk-muenchen.de.

Organisation and Funding:
Promoter: GHM – Gesellschaft für Handwerksmessen mbH.
Administration: Barbara Schmidt, Handwerkskammer für München und Oberbayern.
Organisation: Michael Härteis, Handwerkskammer für München und Oberbayern
Organised by order of the Gesellschaft für Handwerksmessen.
We are grateful for the support provided by the Federal Ministry of Commerce and Energy.