diff --git a/src/cordra_mcp/client.py b/src/cordra_mcp/client.py
index ff00512..17eee59 100644
--- a/src/cordra_mcp/client.py
+++ b/src/cordra_mcp/client.py
@@ -213,3 +213,44 @@ class CordraClient:
             raise CordraClientError(
                 f"Failed to retrieve schema '{schema_name}': {e}"
             ) from e
+
+    async def get_design(self) -> DigitalObject:
+        """Retrieve the Cordra design object containing repository configuration.
+
+        The design object contains the central configuration for the Cordra repository
+        including type definitions, workflow configurations, and system settings.
+        Administrative privileges are typically required to access this object.
+
+        Returns:
+            The design object as a DigitalObject
+
+        Raises:
+            CordraNotFoundError: If the design object is not found
+            CordraAuthenticationError: If authentication fails or insufficient privileges
+            CordraClientError: For other API errors
+        """
+        url = f"{self.config.base_url}/api/objects/design"
+
+        try:
+            response = self.session.get(url, timeout=self.config.timeout)
+
+            if not response.ok:
+                self._handle_http_error(
+                    response, "Failed to retrieve design object"
+                )
+
+            design_obj = response.json()
+
+            return DigitalObject(
+                id="design",
+                type=design_obj.get("type", "CordraDesign"),
+                content=design_obj.get("content", design_obj),
+                metadata=design_obj.get("metadata"),
+                acl=design_obj.get("acl"),
+                payloads=design_obj.get("payloads"),
+            )
+
+        except requests.RequestException as e:
+            raise CordraClientError(
+                f"Failed to retrieve design object: {e}"
+            ) from e
diff --git a/src/cordra_mcp/server.py b/src/cordra_mcp/server.py
index 4c4998a..4502e0a 100644
--- a/src/cordra_mcp/server.py
+++ b/src/cordra_mcp/server.py
@@ -105,6 +105,39 @@ async def get_cordra_object(prefix: str, suffix: str) -> str:
         raise RuntimeError(f"Failed to retrieve object {object_id}: {e}") from e
 
 
+@mcp.resource(
+    "cordra://design",
+    name="cordra-design",
+    title="Retrieve Cordra Design Object",
+    description="Retrieve the Cordra design object containing repository configuration. Administrative privileges are typically required to access this object.",
+    mime_type="application/json",
+)
+async def get_cordra_design() -> str:
+    """Retrieve the Cordra design object containing repository configuration.
+
+    The design object is the central location where Cordra stores its configuration,
+    including type definitions, workflow configurations, and system settings.
+    Administrative privileges are typically required to access this object.
+
+    Returns:
+        JSON representation of the design object
+
+    Raises:
+        RuntimeError: If the design object is not found, authentication fails, or there's an API error
+    """
+    try:
+        design_object = await cordra_client.get_design()
+        object_dict = design_object.model_dump()
+        return json.dumps(object_dict, indent=2)
+
+    except CordraNotFoundError as e:
+        raise RuntimeError("Design object not found") from e
+    except CordraAuthenticationError as e:
+        raise RuntimeError(f"Authentication failed: {e}") from e
+    except CordraClientError as e:
+        raise RuntimeError(f"Failed to retrieve design object: {e}") from e
+
+
 async def create_schema_resource(schema_name: str) -> str:
     """Create content for a specific schema resource."""
     try:
diff --git a/tests/test_client.py b/tests/test_client.py
index 4274821..6367c00 100644
--- a/tests/test_client.py
+++ b/tests/test_client.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ from unittest.mock import patch
 import pytest
 
 from cordra_mcp.client import (
+    CordraAuthenticationError,
     CordraClient,
     CordraClientError,
     CordraNotFoundError,
@@ -296,6 +297,71 @@ class TestCordraClient:
             timeout=30,
         )
 
+    @patch("cordra_mcp.client.requests.Session.get")
+    async def test_get_design_success(self, mock_get, client):
+        """Test successful design object retrieval."""
+        mock_design_data = {
+            "type": "CordraDesign",
+            "content": {
+                "types": {"User": {}, "Project": {}},
+                "workflows": {},
+                "systemConfig": {"serverName": "test-cordra"}
+            },
+            "metadata": {"created": "2023-01-01", "modified": "2023-06-15"}
+        }
+        mock_response = mock_get.return_value
+        mock_response.status_code = 200
+        mock_response.json.return_value = mock_design_data
+        mock_response.ok = True
+
+        result = await client.get_design()
+
+        assert isinstance(result, DigitalObject)
+        assert result.id == "design"
+        assert result.type == "CordraDesign"
+        assert result.content["systemConfig"]["serverName"] == "test-cordra"
+
+        mock_get.assert_called_once_with(
+            "https://test.example.com/api/objects/design",
+            timeout=30,
+        )
+
+    @patch("cordra_mcp.client.requests.Session.get")
+    async def test_get_design_authentication_error(self, mock_get, client):
+        """Test design object retrieval with authentication error."""
+        mock_response = mock_get.return_value
+        mock_response.status_code = 403
+        mock_response.ok = False
+
+        with pytest.raises(CordraAuthenticationError) as exc_info:
+            await client.get_design()
+
+        assert "Authentication failed" in str(exc_info.value)
+
+    @patch("cordra_mcp.client.requests.Session.get")
+    async def test_get_design_not_found(self, mock_get, client):
+        """Test design object retrieval with not found error."""
+        mock_response = mock_get.return_value
+        mock_response.status_code = 404
+        mock_response.ok = False
+
+        with pytest.raises(CordraNotFoundError) as exc_info:
+            await client.get_design()
+
+        assert "Resource not found" in str(exc_info.value)
+
+    @patch("cordra_mcp.client.requests.Session.get")
+    async def test_get_design_request_error(self, mock_get, client):
+        """Test design object retrieval with request error."""
+        from requests import RequestException
+
+        mock_get.side_effect = RequestException("Connection failed")
+
+        with pytest.raises(CordraClientError) as exc_info:
+            await client.get_design()
+
+        assert "Failed to retrieve design object" in str(exc_info.value)
+
 
 class TestCordraConfig:
     """Test the CordraConfig class."""
diff --git a/tests/test_server.py b/tests/test_server.py
index fc3a1df..af254e7 100644
--- a/tests/test_server.py
+++ b/tests/test_server.py
@@ -5,8 +5,13 @@ from unittest.mock import AsyncMock, patch
 
 import pytest
 
-from cordra_mcp.client import CordraClientError, CordraNotFoundError, DigitalObject
-from cordra_mcp.server import get_cordra_object, search_objects
+from cordra_mcp.client import (
+    CordraAuthenticationError,
+    CordraClientError,
+    CordraNotFoundError,
+    DigitalObject,
+)
+from cordra_mcp.server import get_cordra_design, get_cordra_object, search_objects
 
 
 @pytest.fixture
@@ -380,3 +385,101 @@ class TestSearchObjects:
         assert parsed_result[0]["id"] == "test/object"
         assert parsed_result[0]["type"] == "Test"
         assert parsed_result[0]["content"]["data"] == "value"
+
+
+class TestGetCordraDesign:
+    """Test the get_cordra_design resource handler."""
+
+    @patch('cordra_mcp.server.cordra_client')
+    async def test_get_design_success(self, mock_client):
+        """Test successful design object retrieval."""
+        mock_design = DigitalObject(
+            id="design",
+            type="CordraDesign",
+            content={
+                "types": {"User": {}, "Project": {}},
+                "workflows": {},
+                "systemConfig": {"serverName": "test-cordra"}
+            },
+            metadata={"created": "2023-01-01", "modified": "2023-06-15"}
+        )
+        mock_client.get_design = AsyncMock(return_value=mock_design)
+
+        result = await get_cordra_design()
+
+        # Verify the result is valid JSON
+        parsed_result = json.loads(result)
+        assert parsed_result["id"] == "design"
+        assert parsed_result["type"] == "CordraDesign"
+        assert parsed_result["content"]["systemConfig"]["serverName"] == "test-cordra"
+        assert "types" in parsed_result["content"]
+        assert "workflows" in parsed_result["content"]
+
+        # Verify the client was called
+        mock_client.get_design.assert_called_once()
+
+    @patch('cordra_mcp.server.cordra_client')
+    async def test_get_design_not_found(self, mock_client):
+        """Test design object not found exception."""
+        mock_client.get_design = AsyncMock(
+            side_effect=CordraNotFoundError("Design object not found")
+        )
+
+        with pytest.raises(RuntimeError) as exc_info:
+            await get_cordra_design()
+
+        assert "Design object not found" in str(exc_info.value)
+        mock_client.get_design.assert_called_once()
+
+    @patch('cordra_mcp.server.cordra_client')
+    async def test_get_design_authentication_error(self, mock_client):
+        """Test design object authentication error."""
+        mock_client.get_design = AsyncMock(
+            side_effect=CordraAuthenticationError("Authentication failed")
+        )
+
+        with pytest.raises(RuntimeError) as exc_info:
+            await get_cordra_design()
+
+        assert "Authentication failed" in str(exc_info.value)
+        mock_client.get_design.assert_called_once()
+
+    @patch('cordra_mcp.server.cordra_client')
+    async def test_get_design_client_error(self, mock_client):
+        """Test design object general client error."""
+        mock_client.get_design = AsyncMock(
+            side_effect=CordraClientError("Connection failed")
+        )
+
+        with pytest.raises(RuntimeError) as exc_info:
+            await get_cordra_design()
+
+        assert "Failed to retrieve design object" in str(exc_info.value)
+        assert "Connection failed" in str(exc_info.value)
+        mock_client.get_design.assert_called_once()
+
+    @patch('cordra_mcp.server.cordra_client')
+    async def test_get_design_json_formatting(self, mock_client):
+        """Test that the design object is properly formatted as JSON."""
+        mock_design = DigitalObject(
+            id="design",
+            type="CordraDesign",
+            content={"data": "value"},
+            metadata={"created": "2023-01-01"}
+        )
+        mock_client.get_design = AsyncMock(return_value=mock_design)
+
+        result = await get_cordra_design()
+
+        # Verify it's valid JSON with proper indentation
+        parsed_result = json.loads(result)
+        assert isinstance(parsed_result, dict)
+
+        # Check that the result contains indentation (pretty-printed)
+        assert "  " in result  # Should have 2-space indentation
+
+        # Verify all expected fields are present
+        assert "id" in parsed_result
+        assert "type" in parsed_result
+        assert "content" in parsed_result
+        assert "metadata" in parsed_result