Prof. Stefan Koppelkamm

Good designers do not limit themselves to coming up only with designs devised by others: On the contrary, they have the ability to discover relevant themes, to develop intelligent concepts, and to invent unusual »products« on their own.

Their interest does not end with creating two-dimensional media, but also extends to designing spatial scenarios and exhibitions, moving images or interactive media – and to the interplay of various media in complex design projects.

All this presupposes an understanding of space and scale, of chronological sequences and dramaturgies as well as of orientation both in real and in virtual space. That is why I try to focus on fields of work that go beyond classic graphic design and at the same time on themes that are beyond corporate design and product advertising.

My teaching has developed in parallel to my own practice. It ranges from designing spatial scenarios and exhibitions to photography and to moving images.

Many of my own projects and the projects supervised by me inside and outside the university are related to our urban environment. Again and again the key issue is how we as designers and artists can draw attention to societal themes, and especially problems of urban development. Here, understanding the big picture is just as important as addressing the minutest of design details.

For a designer or artist, developing an independent position presupposes not only critical reflection upon one’s own process, but also the ability to change one’s perspective: In interdisciplinary projects students become familiar with other approaches, and within the framework of international collaborative work they are exposed to other cultural positions.