Industry
Creative + Education

Service
Visual Identity + Communication
Generative Design
Funding
Organization
Curation

Team
Prof. Jochen Braun 
Mariam Badawy
Mariam Mortagy

What endures

Graphic design is experiencing a moment of transformation. As artificial intelligence and new computational tools rapidly reshape creative practice, this year’s graduating class demonstrates that the future of design is not defined by technology alone, but by the questions designers choose to ask and the people they design for.

One of the defining characteristics of Mashrou’ 2026 is a big presence of publication design. Books, editorial systems, and printed artifacts appear throughout the exhibition, revealing a renewed appreciation for slower, more deliberate forms of communication. In a culture increasingly shaped by endless digital feeds and algorithmic consumption, print becomes more than a medium—it becomes a statement about attention, permanence, and authorship.

The visual identity of Mashrou’ 2026 responds to this observation by bringing together two seemingly opposing worlds. The Arabic title of the exhibition is translated into a generative typographic system that continuously recreates itself through code. The system generates an infinite sequence of layered color combinations inspired by the mechanics of overprinting and local color combinations.

This dialogue between code and print reflects the broader position of the graduating class. Technology is embraced not as a substitute for creativity, but as another design material—one capable of extending craft, experimentation, and visual expression. Computation introduces variation and movement, while typography and print provide structure, intention, and cultural continuity.

Mashrou’ 2026 ultimately argues that the future of graphic design lies neither in resisting technological change nor in surrendering to it. It lies in combining new tools with enduring design values: curiosity, critical inquiry, cultural awareness, empathy, and the ability to communicate ideas that resonate beyond the screen. 

Generative moving poster for exhibition and social media