in 1996, a fire broke out at the düsseldorf airport, resulting in 17 fatalities and over 72 injuries.

the investigation that followed revealed that the architects had deliberately obscured the signage, citing an interference with the aesthetics of the airport façade.

the result? poorly lit and practically invisible wayfinding in an already high-stress, unfamiliar environment.

tragically, no deaths were linked to the fire itself, but to prolonged exposure to smoke— the lack of clear signage left passengers and staff disoriented, and simply unable to navigate to safety.

nearly 30 years on, the tension between form and function remains just as critical. only now, in this digimodern era, it’s snowballing into the digital space.

i first read about the düsseldorf fire while writing my first paper in design school, and it profoundly shaped my understanding of the real-world consequences of design decisions— because design has never just been about beauty; it’s about communication and impact.

good design may be invisible, but only when done right. when it fails, it’s often a matter of life and death.

that’s why i’ve dedicated my career to design with purpose.