SEGD CHICAGO PRESENTSFIELD BUILDING, CHICAGO
An exhibition of the work that never made it into the world.
- ON VIEW
- October 27 to November 9
- HOURS
- 10 AM to 5 PM
- ADMISSION
- Free
- SUBMISSIONS CLOSE
- October 10
EXHIBITION MANIFESTO
AN EXHIBITION OF FORGOTTEN WORK
Every designer knows that much of our work never makes it into the world. Our archives are filled with sketches, studies, prototypes, and concepts abandoned because of project constraints, shifting priorities, budgets, or a client who chose another direction. Sometimes they're simply the result of an afternoon spent exploring a new material or idea.
These works are not failures. They are lost ideas from our process, dense with experimentation, creativity, and unrealized potential.
DESIGN GRAVEYARD invites designers from across Chicagoland and beyond to resurrect one of these forgotten works, removed from its original constraints, recontextualized through a new medium, and give it new purpose.
WHEN
THE EXHIBITION FREE
OCTOBER 27 TO
NOVEMBER 9, 2026
OPENING NIGHT FREE
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27
- 5:30 PMGallery opens
- 6:00 PMWelcome and acknowledgements
- 6:15 PM OPTIONAL / TICKETED Lecture: Designing the Audience Experience Alan E. Muraoka, Emmy-nominated production designer (Little Miss Sunshine, Ghost World, New Amsterdam), on how the space a scene takes place in shapes what an audience sees, feels and understands. 6:15 to 7:15 PM. Presented by AIGA Chicago. RSVP separately through AIGA, online or on site before the talk. Lecture tickets via AIGA ↗
- 9:00 PMGallery closes
The exhibition and opening night are free. Only the lecture needs a ticket.
SUBMISSION
GUIDELINES
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
- PRODUCE NO NEW WORK
- Print submissions close Saturday, October 10. Submitting is free, and you keep your print after the show.
-
Crop all media to a 17" × 17" canvas using the provided InDesign template.
- Don't treat the canvas as a presentation board. Each submission should present a single lost idea, recontextualized as its own subject.
- Digital or dimensional work? Video, interactive, sculpture and other 3D work are reviewed case by case, and most can be supported. These pieces aren't printed, so they don't go through the form. Email submissions@designgraveyard.org by October 24 with a short description, an image or link, and its size or runtime.
- Submissions should respect confidentiality and remove or obscure references to clients, brands, or other identifying information when appropriate. Participants retain ownership of their submitted work. SEGD & Design Graveyard will use submissions only in connection with this exhibition and its promotion. See our Terms for full details.
SUBMIT
SUBMIT YOUR FORGOTTEN WORK TO DESIGN GRAVEYARD.
Your submission already exists. Unearth your lost ideas and give them new purpose together with the Chicago design community for the exhibition in October.
FAQ
WHAT TYPE OF MEDIA SHOULD I SUBMIT TO THE EXHIBITION?
A sketch, study, prototype, concept, or other design idea that was abandoned, cut, rejected, left behind, or never realized.
WHEN IS THE DEADLINE?
Print submissions close Saturday, October 10. Digital and dimensional work can be sent by email until October 24.
DOES IT COST ANYTHING? DO I GET MY PRINT BACK?
Submitting is free, and you keep your print after the show.
WHAT SIZE IS THE PRINT SUBMISSION?
Crop all media to a 17" × 17" canvas using the provided InDesign template.
SHOULD I CHANGE OR UPDATE MY LOST WORK AT ALL?
The spirit of Design Graveyard is to curate a collection of lost ideas with new purpose. We encourage you to crop, scale, rotate, or color correct your lost idea to be printed on high quality photo paper by our sponsor. Exactly how much time you put into recontextualizing the idea is up to you.
HOW MANY WORKS CAN I SUBMIT?
Up to 3. Each submission is one lost idea on its own 17" × 17" canvas, so fill out the form once per piece.
CAN I SUBMIT DIMENSIONAL OR DIGITAL WORK?
Yes. All media formats are considered. Video, interactive, sculpture and other 3D work are reviewed case by case, and most can be supported. These pieces aren't printed, so they don't go through the standard submission form. Email submissions@designgraveyard.org by October 24.
WHAT SHOULD I INCLUDE IN THAT EMAIL?
A short description of the piece, an image or link, its dimensions or runtime, and anything it needs to be shown, like a screen, power or a surface to sit on. We'll follow up to work out the details.
RECOGNITIONS
Design Graveyard is curated by Ryan Odom, AIA and Katie Osborne of SEGD Chicago. Thank you to all who have made Design Graveyard a reality.
MADE FROM PAPER. USED AGAIN.
Exhibits and trade show builds often stand for a few weeks, then go to a landfill. A show about discarded work shouldn't add to the pile. Every structure in Design Graveyard is made from paper board, and every one of them goes into storage for the next Design Graveyard.
- SWEDENMade
- ATLANTALanded
- MILWAUKEEPrinted
- FRANKLINCut
- CHICAGOBuilt
Re-board Technology donated every sheet in the room. Re-board is a rigid paper board invented in Sweden. Its core of upright paper fibers stands on its own at a fraction of the weight of wood, and it is 100% recyclable.
02 / PRINTING AND PRODUCTION
Amplify Graphics & Branding in Milwaukee prints the submissions and the board, and organized the build.
03 / FABRICATION
Zünd America cut the structures. A V-cut tool carves angled grooves partway through each sheet so it folds into clean corners, the way a crease works in origami.
04 / OPENING RECEPTION
elbē interactive sponsors the opening reception. elbē is a digital interactive partner for museums, trade shows and branded environments.
VOLUNTEER
Design Graveyard is looking for volunteers to help bring Chicago's forgotten ideas back to life with an exhibition of forgotten work called Design Graveyard.
From exhibition installation and event support to welcoming visitors and helping behind the scenes, volunteers will play an important role in creating an exhibition that celebrates the work that never made it into the world.
You'll meet designers from across Chicago, experience the exhibition from the inside, and help create a memorable event for the Chicago design community.