DESIGN INVESTIGATIONS (ID2): HELP SOMEBODY?

The Design Investigations (ID2) Department is a five year diploma course in design at the University of Applied Arts in Vienna. Although rooted in a long history of product and industrial design, our department is committed to making the role of the designer relevant to the opportunities and challenges of the 21st century. Design is no longer just about nice products. From artificial intelligence to climate change and political unrest, our department educates young people to directly engage with these changes. And therefore, in extension to current industrial design skills, we train our students in advanced digital technologies, various communication and story-telling skills, academic research methodology and, most importantly, deep and critical thinking. 

For the Winter Semester 2021 in the Design Investigations Department, I will be leading the HELP SOMEBODY? studio brief. 

This semester we want you to locate your designs in public and semi-public spaces with the aim to try and HELP SOMEBODY – Anybody! It can be humans, non-humans, individuals or groups. You will focus on the streets, squares, plazas, parks and public landscapes. On public buildings and institutions like libraries, schools, hospitals, public transport, community centres, social housing complexes, and many more.

What do you see, whom do you observe, whom do you (want to) engage with, whom will you learn about and learn from? Who might need help? How can you help? Who might have been forgotten or overruled? Who doesn't dare to speak up or is not heard? Who is different from societal norms and does not have a lobby? And ultimately, does that somebody actually need and want your help or are you imposing your ideas on them?

Are there loopholes in the system you can use and widen for someone’s advantage? Can existing functions be softened, broadened or connected to create new possibilities? Is it possible to transfer care from the private to the public?

We want you to consider the opportunities and responsibilities inherent to design and aim to develop an interrogative, engaging, hands-on design process that spans throughout the semester. In the end it can be one person/ being or a group you collaborate with and help through the entire semester. It can be many small acts, a strategy, an intervention, an object, an action. Scale doesn't matter.

The final exam will be in the form of a presentation of the project work done by the students. The students will be graded based on their entire semester's performance including attendance, enthusiasm in learning, pushing themselves to explore and experiment, as well as the final presentation.