Why design and transformation belong together

The students spent six weeks working on the challenge set by illwerke vkw. The result is a walk-in experience space that addresses the topics of balance, network and energy flow in an exciting and playful way. The presentation took place at the CampusVäre at the end of November.

White lengths of fabric draped on a scaffold like a mountain formation and moving in waves - "50 Hertz" is the title of the installation, which immediately catches the eye as you enter the Experience Space. It continues with a projection on the floor, where visitors become part of a living network. "We really went through the entire design process in this sprint, from the idea to the model to the implementation. It was challenging, but incredibly exciting and instructive!" says student Diana Marte.

Rethinking systems

The new master's degree programme at the FHV combines design-specific know-how with strategic, entrepreneurial and research skills. The study program is open to people with different professional backgrounds: Designers:inside, but also people from the natural and social sciences, Business and Management and Engineering and Technology work in interdisciplinary teams on the communicative challenges of the future. "It is precisely this interdisciplinarity of the group that distinguishes our program. This is particularly important when it comes to analyzing systems in order to make complex interrelationships tangible. This is exactly what the Design Challenge was about," explains program director Margarita Köhl.

At the presentation on site, Andreas Neuhauser, Head of Communications at Illwerke vkw, was also impressed by the approaches and the development: "The transformation towards a renewable energy future brings key social challenges. It requires that many people understand these changes, grasp them in their own lives and actively react to them or help shape them. This is precisely where I see the value of approaches that create a sensory approach and think creatively 'out of the box' - instead of being shaped solely by engineering logic."

About design and creative leadership

The first year of the new part-time master's degree program "Design and Creative Leadership" started in autumn 2024. Traditional design or technical skills are no longer enough to navigate through a working world and society characterized by complexity and uncertainty. "We need people who can think critically and are aware of the effects of ever faster technological developments at various levels and can help shape them," explains Margarita Köhl.

Interested parties can immerse themselves in the Experience Space once again as part of the Department of Design's exhibition in December.

You can find out more about the Design and Creative Leadership Master's degree programme ▷ here.