Design for Change: For a better, more social world

Creativity is the currency of the future: In our studies, we trigger knowledge processes - and our students initiate changes and convey knowledge with their projects. Because what makes good design? The ability to change for the benefit of all, in thought and action. In their work, our students take responsibility and address acute and socially relevant issues: #metoo, #climatechange, #respect are just a few of them. Why they are so incredibly good at this? Because they move across disciplines at Design PF, because they work in a practice-oriented way, because they analyze constructively, because they think three-dimensionally!

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„Fashion for an Empty World“ by Paula Lessel

„Fashion for an Empty World“ is a close examination of the current state of fashion. It freezes the moment in time, where overflow, excessiveness and abundance implode and turn into emptiness and meaninglessness. Inspired by a quote by Sloterdijk, the collection plays out in a grey area, which always makes itself noticeable, when “order fails without chaos being welcome to ensue.” The collection negates the general notion that fashion creates newness and instead states that it rather produces new variations of what is already there. Each look visualizes an exaggeration and an exhaustion of what we already know. In this way, seams turn out too long and will not fit their counterparts, gigantic dress shirts are forced onto the human body and overly long skirts cause wearers to trip over them. “Fashion for an Empty World” may not be a solution to our overfilled-empty world, but it is a more curious look at the colourfully grey noise we experience.

Bachelor-Thesis in Fashion; supervised by Prof. Claudia Throm and Dr. Robert Eikmeyer; Photos: Elena Milaeva

„Autism extraordinarily different“ by Victoria Sisin

Victoria Sisin examines in her bachelor thesis „What is normal? - An Approach to the Autism Spectrum“ the representation of autism in our society. Her goal is to create new awareness, educate and sensitize, as stereotypes and ignorance regarding autism are still widespread. Thus, the awareness campaign „Autism extraordinarily different“ was born, with the guiding principle: not without us about us.
The campaign is divided into 5 main categories, where a social re-learning is needed, because for more than 100 years, a false image of autism has become entrenched in our society. This is often characterized by negative prejudice and leads to exclusion and discrimination against people on the autism spectrum. It is time to change this state of affairs.

Victoria is making a contribution to creating a more understanding environment for autistic people and raising awareness in society about the autism spectrum. After all, only by breaking away from stereotypes and prejudices and looking at the issue in a new way can we create a society in which all people can develop their uniqueness.

Bachelor thesis in Visual Communications

„Unlock Intuition“ by Luca Jordt

Our world today is characterized by highly complex and opaque interconnections. In this world, design promises to be the key to solving a complex formula. Design promises the ability to act, innovation, efficiency and orientation. A design of problem solving and a promise that cannot be kept. With his work Luca dares to take a step back, does not deal with what decisions designers* should make. He asks the question of how we make decisions in creative processes in the first place. Because most of these decisions are not made rationally, logically or through conscious thought, but intuitively. Even if the rational and solution-oriented side of design is often in the foreground. He deals with the current zeitgeist of the concept of design and classifies its development. What does our creative process have to do with our selves and our experience, and how can we foster it? Design needs conscious engagement with unconscious processes. Design needs an understanding of intuition and design needs to look inward in order to be able to make decisions confidently and with a reflected self-understanding.

Master's thesis in the M.A. in Creative Direction; supervised by Prof. Dr. Evelyn Echle and Prof. Matthias Kohlmann

'Luciplate – Making light tangible' by Laura Nicolosi

Excessive artificial light, neon signs, no real darkness: we have lost touch with real, natural light. Laura's concept of the luminescent plant as an alternative light source brings us closer to light again in a new way. Since the Luciplate concept involves growing the plant by the users, they are therefore responsible for taking care of their light. In this way, the light source achieves an appreciation that a light switch or conventional lamps cannot match. Their concept is an experimental approach, a luminous look into the future. Read more

Bachelor thesis in Industrial Design; supervised by Prof. Jürgen Goos and Tim Storti

'Internalized Homonegativity - A Visual Approach to a Gay Phenomenon' by Adrian Wilhelm
 

Am I ... passively normative? Structural oppression should be understood not only as a condition, but also as a process. Various factors interact to reinforce structures of inequality. These include internalization: victims of discrimination adopt derogatory resentments and prejudices into their own self-image and internalize them unconsciously. Thus, wanting to overcome discrimination also means understanding how our own actions are affected by it. Based on Adrian Wilhelm's own self-reflection and a random survey of 100 homosexual men, his work approaches the causes of the reproduction of anti-gay attitudes within the homosexual community. More... (in German)

Bachelor Thesis in Visual Communication; Supervisors: Prof. Alice Chi and Dipl.-Des. Dagmar Korintenberg
 

'LOOP – New Water Transport System' by Marilena Hamm and Anna-Katharina Halde

"LOOP - New Water Transport System" is about the global water crisis. The Loop is a clever solution for water transport in developing countries. It serves to relieve the burden on people who do not have direct access to water and have to walk many miles to the nearest water point. Shaped like a rolling water tank with a guide rod, the LOOP can be effortlessly pulled and pushed over uneven terrain and carried as a backpack if needed. It holds around 40 liters. The students received the IF Public Value Student Award 2016 and the Green Product Award 2016 for their concept.
More... (in German)

LOOP was a semester project B.A. in Industrial Design

'The Red Umbrella Movement' by Delara Vafi
 

Sex Work is work. And yet it remains a socially taboo subject. Because it is a profession about which many are not well enough informed, misunderstandings often arise - not everyone is aware of the important differences between human trafficking and sex work. With a red umbrella, the global symbol of protection and love of the sex worker movement, sex workers and supporters take to the streets to protest for rights and safety and to fight against stigma.
More... (in German)

'The Umbrella Movement' was a semester project in the B.A. in Fashion. 

'c_rea[c]tion' by Lisa Kwoczek
 

A circular collection: Lisa Kwocek with the organization "ocean patrol", which organizes beach clean ups. In addition to plastic bottles and household waste, it is largely broken fishing nets that are washed up on the beach. From these nets, a bag and hat collection was created that completely does without additional material: even buttons or labels are made from the flotsam and jetsam. In addition, she paid attention to resource-saving production: The nets were processed in their raw state, no machines or chemicals were used, everything is completely handmade.

'c_rea[c]tion' is a Bachelor collection in the B.A. in Accessory Design.

 

'576 Pages of Everyday Racism in Germany - A Reflection Process Critical of Racism' by Julia Fiedler

Racism is omnipresent in our everyday lives, yet not necessarily visible to all. It hides itself insistently and subtly on different levels. Julia Fiedler says, "I am part of the white majority society. Part of the norm and people who grew up socialized in a racist way and who constantly (un)consciously reproduce supposed knowledge as well as prejudices. I am a perpetrator. What does my own whiteness mean? How racist am I myself? Can I recognize racism at all? What can I do concretely to support those affected?" Her work is a personal confrontation, a stocktaking, a contemporary testimony and a documentation of the current racism debate in Germany. Beyond the publication, the interactive Ally Glossary offers assistance in learning to use language critical of racism and at the same time unlearning racist terms. Racism is not only the problem of those affected, but also of those who reproduce it every day. Silence is political and makes us all accomplices. Julia Fiedler was awarded a Golden Nail at the Art Directors Club Talent Awards 2022.
More... (in German)

The project is a Bachelor Thesis from the B.A. in Visual Communication.

 

'IN CONTROL - Wildfire Combating' by Norman Gantner
 


Forest fires are getting worse and more frequent in recent years. One reason for this is climate change. The average global temperature has increased by about 1.6°C over the last 100 years and continues to rise. Current wildfire suppression methods are mainly concerned with fire containment and extinguishment. Costs are increasing annually - success is decreasing. Conventional suppression methods are no longer adequate to meet the increasing demands. Norman Ganter's concept focuses on observation and first response to better control forest fires.
More... (in German)

'IN CONTROL' is a Bachelor Thesis in the B.A. in Industrial Design

‚jenastyca' by Jessica Joy Esparon

A call to all who believe in freedom and equality for all and are willing to stand up for it! "jenastyca" by Jessica Joy Esparon deals with the current image of women in Germany. She makes visible where and how patriarchal structures still work and encourages to rebel against them. With her jewelry she wants to encourage women of all ages to lead an autonomous life. On her jewelry are messages in Braille. The wearers are encouraged to internalize the messages through repeated palpation, empowering them to act from within. Even the choice of material, a dark shimmering tone, which is untypical for jewelry, resulted from the consequence of using jewelry in an unconventional way. Originally, jewelry with its high-quality materials often fulfilled the purpose of increasing the value of its wearers. (Anne-Barbara Knerr, 2009). Yet women only need a reminder of their innate value, so Jessica Joy Esparon decided to use a plainer material, which receives its value through the artist's intervention. 'jenastyca' is a plea to self-love and is meant to encourage women in particular to stand out and stand up for themselves, by no means is it an announcement against men, especially since they too suffer from the structures of patriarchy.
'jenastyca' is a Bachelor collection in the B.A, in Jewellery.