SHAPING THE FUTURE REQUIRES PROFESSIONALISM
It is becoming increasingly important for designers to be able to actively and effectively shape the perspectives of our future living environment and paths to sustainability. In the context of transformation processes, the design disciplines can play out a great strength and concretize designs, concepts and images that are understood as references for desirable technological, social and cultural change. This requires a high degree of critical attitude, sensitivity and precision. In short: a professional basic set-up in which conceptual strength, detailing and substance interact at a high level. In the Master’s program in Industrial Design at the Muthesius University of Fine Arts and Design, we teach ways to achieve such a competence profile.
DESIGNING FUTURE PERSPECTIVES: COMPETENCIES FOR THE DESIGN OF VISIONARY PROCESSES AND PRODUCT SYSTEMS
We understand the thematic foundation of medical design as a design principle of action beyond the limitations of medical technology and with a special interest in the realization of sustainable living conditions in the sense of “One Health” (human, environment, animal). To this end, they develop a broader understanding of people and social constellations. As part of the project work, you will deepen your knowledge of thinking, designing and communicating innovative processes, systems and interfaces. And: always also in the structure, details and quality of products, taking into account the requirements of the circular economy and resource conservation. The connection with the Master’s degree course in Interface Design is also unique and, in our view, particularly trend-setting, as products are increasingly to be understood as multi-layered, networked information carriers and interaction mediators.
DESIGN AND RESEARCH
We provide individual and far-reaching support for project work. Students work in a highly networked context within and outside the university. In Kiel, we are surrounded by outstanding research activities in which we participate, e.g. in the CAPTN initiative or in the Cluster of Excellence “Precision Medicine in Chronic Inflammation”. We continuously explore the connections and interactions between research and design in a variety of interdisciplinary project formats. In the research project “Sustainable Mobility Transformation”, we were funded by the EKSH over a longer period of time (www.muthesius-mobility-project.de). We are establishing research assistants, as recently in the area of “Materials and Sustainability”. Cooperation and exchange programs exist with TU Delft, NCKU Tainan and Kobe Design University, among others.
UNDERSTANDING NEW. SHAPING WITH COURAGE.
As part of the degree program, we offer in-depth access to knowledge and issues in the health and life sciences. On the other hand, students work on many related and mostly independently defined topics of the future human living environment and social change. The focus here is on questions of the environment and sustainability, public and private space, mobility and logistics, questions of future images of man and new technologies. We are very interested in critically questioning established thought patterns and breaking new ground. We would like to motivate you as designers to have the courage to be open to experimentation, to take risks and to be radical. Courage pays off: our students’ work has not only won a number of important national and international prizes and awards in recent years. Our graduates have also been able to establish themselves very successfully professionally in a wide variety of contexts.
Questions?
Prof. Detlef Rhein
E rhein@muthesius.de
In the blog “Applications” we have summarized module plans, downloads and further information for you.
The publication „designing future perspectives“ (ISBN-13: 978-3-948359-40-9) ist available as pdf.