Typography and Design

Language, its visualisation and its scenic application are at the centre of the studies of Typography at the Muthesius University.
The Bachelor’s study programme is formed by intensive work with the medium of writing and its forms of expression. The students deal with the history of writing and printing, not only in theory but also practically by trying out different methods, such as e.g. with a fine or broad nib, and also get to know and use older printing and production techniques such as hot-metal typeseting or bookbinding for their own designs. They study the dfferent forms of writing and develop a feeling for characteristics and their effect on the reception of language. In the various applications – from writing via letter paper, placards and posters, up to complex book design – the students learn to use writing and typefaces objectively. In experimentation, they investigate how far deviations or irritations can make design interesting and enrich it, and begin to develop their own themes.

In the Master’s programme with its focus of Typography and Design, working with writing techniques is intensified and at the same time more room is given to free work. The students develop projects which move within the field of classical book deisgn as well as experimental peripheral areas of design. A focal point of the stuidies is working with language. The students are encouraged not only to visualise but also to write texts themselves or to take on the role of an editor. The courses offer experiments with language, both with the voice and with texts, and look at the relations between them. Not only the semantic but also the corporeal and sensual characteristics of language and writing are utilised. Crossing the boundaries to other artistic disciplines such as literature, music, theatre, fashion or film can become a source of new themes and design ideas.

The focal point of Typography at the Muthesius University has been headed by  Prof. André Heers und Prof.in Annette le Fort since 2009. It is formed by close cooperation with the lyrical poet Prof. Oswald Egger, who is professor for Language and Form in Communication Design, with the Dutch designer Albert-Jan Pool, who offers typeface design in both Bachelor’s and Master’s programmes and the Institute for the Science of Art, Design and Media, the theoretical centre of the university. Additional workshops of international designers and artists such as e.g. the Dutch artist group “De Geuzen”, the Danish book artist Kasper Andreasen or the Italian composer Alessandro Bosetti, open up the studies and provide important impulses. An important location is also the symposium Dialogue of Writing, which is held every two years in Kiel and to which international designer, artists and theoreticians are invited.

The talks are accompanied by an exhibition of typographical works.

Questions?

Prof. André Heers
T 0431 / 5198 – 449, heers@muthesius.de
Prof.in Annette le Fort
T 0431 / 5198 – 446, lefort@muthesius.de


In Focus

The main goal of the Muthesius University in Kiel is to promote art, design and spatial strategies via research and development projects as a focal point for work and intellectual debates. As the only art university in the State of Schleswig-Holstein, the Muthesius is not only a place to develop culturally relevant biographies but with its project studies also a place of particular experimentation and realisation. To a certain extent, the profile of the Master’s programme represents study courses and development possibilities for students unique in the Federal Republic of Germany.

“At the centre of the Muthesius University’s focus is art and design, the creative and productive. Around this centre there revolves the fundamental relationship between theory and practice. This reciprocal relationship is a permanent process, a circular movement around the centre held by art and design. It needs free space to move. Thus, the firt condition for art and design at our university is freedom! To study at the Muthesius is the desire to use this freedom to mature into an equally creative and productive personality. In this way, we can provide our students with personal biographies”, promises President Dr. Arne Zerbst.

Around 660 study places are currently spread across the study courses in Fine Arts, Fine Arts for Secondary School Teachers, Spatial Strategies, Communication Design and Industrial Design.

RESEARCH AND PROJECTS

Training and education at the Muthesius are project-oriented. Students are encourage early to gain experience with real clients. The Project Office, the Publication Office and the Centre for Media are interdisciplinary departments which help students to complete their projects successfully.
By particpating in the excellence clusters the Muthesius University is one of the internationally visible and competitive research institutes contributing to the sustainability of research in Germany. Numerous cooperation partners at local, national and international level appreciate the Muthesius University’s interdisciplinary structure and the personal atmosphere of the class sizes of a maximum to 20 students – an excellent basis for discourse leading to innovation.

INTERNATIONALITY

Each term, students and lecturers discuss national and international positions in art and design within the framework of interdisciplinary workshop weeks and internally organised, public symposia. International lecturers are always a part of these required courses. Young people from over 30 countries around the world come together in Kiel to study art and design. They make up 14 per cent of the student body, with an increasing tendency. This puts the Muthesius University above the national average.

WEBLOGS OF THE FIELDS OF STUDY (In German)

In order to make the variety of the Muthesius University more informative, in addition to the »official« information pages (the coloured half of the website) there are over 30 weblogs (the white half of this website) updated by the individual study courses/departments themselves (in German only).

 

SEMESTER TIMES

Winter semester 2023/24
Start of semester: 01.10.2023
End of semester: 31.03.2024
Start of classes: 23.10.2023
End of classes: 16.02.2024
(non-lecture period: 23.12.2023-7.1.2024)

Summer semester 2024
Start of semester: 01.04.2024
End of semester: 30.09.2024
Start of classes: 02.04.2024
End of classes: 19.07.2024