Angelika Müller, Publisher and Publishing Director of ahead media        

1. Please describe your company in a few sentences.

Published by the boutique publisher ahead media, based in Berlin, H.O.M.E. is the leading premium magazine for contemporary living across the German-speaking DACH market. Combining exceptional expertise, a keen sense of cultural trends, a passion for storytelling, and a commitment to interdisciplinary knowledge exchange, H.O.M.E. delivers original cover stories, profiles of international design icons, in-depth reports, and comprehensive design dossiers.

For three decades, H.O.M.E. has brought together design experts, brands, architects, and readers within a unique ecosystem that serves both as an inspirational platform for consumers and as a professional network and knowledge hub for the industry.

H.O.M.E. sees itself not only as a reflection of current design trends but also as an active contributor to the international design and architecture community through a variety of competence and content-driven formats. Alongside the flagship architectural project H.O.M.E. Haus, developed annually with renowned international architectural partners, H.O.M.E., together with on time PR, launched the new industry and networking platform DesignDays.Berlin.

From September 24 to 26, DesignDays.Berlin will bring together premium brands, industry leaders, retailers, showrooms, creative professionals, and design enthusiasts through a network of satellite events across the city. National and international brands open their doors, showcase innovations, and create inspiring experiences through talks, workshops, exhibitions, and curated encounters. Focusing on interior design, architecture, craftsmanship, material innovation, and emerging cultural perspectives, the initiative aims to establish a distinctive platform for design and provide Berlin with a flagship project that resonates far beyond the city itself.

2. Why are you involved as a Berlin-Partner? 

Twenty-five years ago, when H.O.M.E. was still a newcomer in the publishing industry, we consciously chose Berlin as our home base. Since then, we have actively supported the city’s design and creative sectors through partnerships, events, and our own initiatives.

Our commitment as a Berlin Partner is rooted in the belief that design is a key driver of economic innovation. We do not merely report on design; we actively contribute to shaping and connecting it across disciplines. In Berlin, for Berlin.

Through numerous H.O.M.E. partner events and the recently launched DesignDays.Berlin, we bring together leading voices from the design and creative industries to strengthen Berlin’s international reputation as a premier design destination. Our goal is to make design accessible, personal, and tangible as a 360-degree experience. As a voice for the industry, we create visibility, foster international exchange, and elevate the recognition of design as a strategic innovation factor for business and society.

3. Which topics are driving your industry?  

We believe that successful innovation emerges from the combination of expertise, quality, creativity, interdisciplinary exchange, and strong networks across design, architecture, craftsmanship, technology, mobility, and culture.

Our focus is on creating meaningful touchpoints and formats that bring together brands, industry, retailers, experts, institutions, and consumers. In doing so, we help break down traditional boundaries between B2B and B2C and encourage new forms of collaboration and dialogue.

4. What makes Berlin special to you? 

Berlin thrives on diversity, reflected in its vibrant cultural and creative landscape. The city is shaped by a spirit of experimentation and an extraordinary range of disciplines spanning art, culture, film, music, fashion, design, and architecture.

Combined with Berlin’s renowned openness, authenticity, and relaxed attitude, this creates the ideal environment for creative freedom and continues to attract talent and visionaries from around the world.

5. Why is Berlin attractive for your company? 

Berlin is a magnet for international premium brands, leading design and architecture studios, and a city known for its strong first-mover mentality. Its international appeal attracts experts and talent from across the globe, strengthening both the local creative economy and Berlin’s attractiveness as a business and investment destination.

The city’s dense network of retail spaces, showrooms, and innovative hospitality concepts provides the perfect stage for design projects, experiential formats, and public engagement. Its distinctive neighborhood culture makes it possible to experience design throughout the city via curated event journeys.

We deliberately chose Berlin as our location. As a UNESCO City of Design and one of Europe’s leading creative hubs, Berlin offers unparalleled opportunities. As a media company based here, we are committed to giving a voice to Berlin’s design and creative industries and bringing international attention to the capital.

6.  What does Berlin stand for in your view?

To us, Berlin represents creative energy, openness, transformation, and a strong culture of experimentation and learning through trial and error.

The city offers almost limitless opportunities for reinvention and creative expression. Unlike many other design hubs, Berlin is defined less by traditional industrial clusters and more by interdisciplinary, future-oriented collaborations and independent creative actors.

Its openness to new ideas and immense development potential enable start-ups, individual creators, and established organizations alike to realize innovative concepts. For H.O.M.E. and DesignDays.Berlin, Berlin is above all a city that continually brings people together through design and architecture, demonstrating the positive impact that thoughtful design can have on society.

7.  How does your company implement sustainability? 

For us, sustainability begins with continuity and long-term commitment. We firmly believe that sustainable business practices are a key factor in lasting success. Through H.O.M.E., we have been an active part of the design and creative community for more than 25 years, fostering collaboration, trust, and meaningful connections among industry stakeholders.

Beyond reflecting current design trends, we actively create long-term initiatives such as H.O.M.E. Haus, which has been developed over the past eight years in collaboration with internationally renowned architectural firms as a showcase for sustainable future living.

Likewise, DesignDays.Berlin has been conceived as a long-term, organically growing platform designed to evolve sustainably over many years and strengthen Berlin’s position within the international design community.