In 1951, under the leadership of a new director, Adelbert Van de Walle, three shows called the National Salons for Modern Social Furniture were organised.

[1] They invited local manufacturers to exhibit their furniture showcased in rooms as staged domestic environments and to take orders placed by visitors, thus facilitating the distribution of modern, affordable design.

The project is being led by architects TRANS, Carmody Groarke, and RE-ST.[2] The new space will improve the museum's capacity to host lectures, debates, design courses, as well temporary small exhibitions, product launches, workshops, and other activities.

Design Museum Gent is known for its collection of Belgian Art Nouveau made by Paul Hankar, Gustave Serrurier-Bovy, Victor Horta, Henry van de Velde, Philippe Wolfers and Alfred William Finch.

Another notable item is the ‘Gioconda’ service designed by Philippe Wolfers in 1925 for the exhibition ‘Exposition des Arts Décoratifs et lndustriels’ in Paris.

The modernism of Le Corbusier, Alvar Aalto, Marcel Breuer, Mies van der Rhoe and Lilly Reich (Knoll collection),[4] Christa Ehrlich, Poul Henningsen and Wilhelm Wagenfeld contrasts with the sumptuous Art Deco.

The Netherlands and Scandinavia are represented by glassware of the companies Royal Leerdam Crystal (Andries Dirk Copier), Orrefors (Sven Palmqvist), Venini and Iittala, and silverware from Henning Koppel (Georg Jensen) and Lino Sabattini (Christofle).

The museum possesses an ensemble of the Italian Anti-Design collectives Studio Alchimia and Memphis, represented by Ettore Sottsass, Alessandro Mendini, Michele de Lucchi, Matteo Thun, Marco Zanini and Nathalie Du Pasquier.

International designers include Ron Arad, Toyo Ito, Hella Jongerius, Peter Opsvik, Barbara Nanning, Marc Newson, Philippe Starck, Michael Young, Marcel Wanders, and Frantisek Vizner.

Ceramics in the contemporary collection are by Piet Stockmans, Tjok Dessauvage, Arthur Vermeiren, Rik Vandewege and Ann Van Hoey.

Recent acquisitions of the younger Belgian generation, represented by Muller Van Severen, Maarten De Ceulaer and Ben Storms, look to the future.

[6] The collection includes pieces by Tapio Wirkkala, Strömbergshyttan, Léon Ledru, Auguste Jean, Emile Gallé, Josef Hoffmann, and other notable glass artists.