The Walker Art Center in Minneapolis is about to add a new recurring fixture to its programme. 'Walker Design Triennial: Beyond Materialism', the museum's inaugural design triennial, opens on 17 October 2026 and runs through 14 February 2027. Curated by Milan-based British architect Joseph Grima in collaboration with the Walker's artistic director Asli Altay, the exhibition features approximately 50 new and recent works by 26 designers and groups from more than 10 countries. Its premise is that contemporary design is moving away from profit and consumption as its defining values, and toward concerns such as communal engagement and environmental impact. The presentation is organised around four themes, and includes seven designers making their US debuts along with two commissions created specifically for the triennial. The triennial format is new for the Walker, an institution with a long design pedigree through its graphic design programme and collection but without a recurring design survey until now. Giving design a three-year cycle puts it on the same rhythm as many of the field's most important international exhibitions, and signals that the museum sees design as a core pillar of its programme rather than an occasional visitor. Grima brings an interdisciplinary perspective shaped by architecture, publishing and exhibition-making, and the line-up is expected to span product design, speculative proposals and socially engaged practices. For the Walker's audience, 'Beyond Materialism' offers a new reason to engage with the institution alongside its established strengths in contemporary art and performance. Public programming around the exhibition will be announced by the museum as the opening approaches.