Part of the Olympics official cultural program, MATCH explores the role of design in the development and progression of sport and the ties forged between these two fields. The exhibition also looks at how the sporting world has continued to inspire top designers – and vice-versa – in sectors including the automotive and ready-to-wear industries. Design plays a key role in the history of sport and increases athletic capacities by drawing on materials, sports ergonomics and aesthetics to support athletes in their quest for increasingly outstanding performances. 

But the examples gathered in MATCH are notsolely restricted to technological and performative aspects. Sport has remarkable political and social impact and the power to connect people and communities at large. With a variety of examples, MATCH highlights the ways that design can facilitate inclusion and diversity.

The exhibition design offers a meandering parcours for visitors to explore, and considers inclusivity throughout. By borrowing stylistic aspects from sports facilities such as chain-link fences or stadium-inspired lighting, MATCH evokes the feeling of being in the middle of a sports game.