On the choice of Elements: Earth for the theme of the Basel fair, Chen said:"It's not just design's role in exploring materials, and ways of making, living, consuming and producing that have taken on new urgency as our impact on the planet becomes all too clear. Design and designers also help to articulate the future, and this year we want to highlight what designers are seeing as human activity continues to alter the very nature of Earth."

Below are five highlights in advance of the upcoming fair, including Design at Large, the central manifestation of Chen’s curatorial theme.