Theorie und Geschichte des Design 1

Leah Armstrong
Design, Theory and History of Design
2026W, Introductory Seminar (PS), 3.0 ECTS, 2.0 semester hours, course number S20574

Description

Deep Fake: A design history

Design has always been closely related to ideas of artifice. In moments of political discontent and transition, experiments with new materials allowed designers to reinvent their relationship with the present and propose radical new futures. Through fast fashion and copy-design culture,  design became a global tool of intellectual property. In the midst of debates about environmental catastrophe and the anthroprocene, designers have taken on nature, redesigning it to offer provocative solutions to human-made so-called disasters. Design is instrumental to artifical intelligence systems and in the production of alternative realities that deliver 'fake newsʼ. Through all of these examples, design acts politically. This course interrogates the history of fake design as a political action in historical context. 

 

 

 

Examination Modalities

  • 80% attendance is mandatory and attendance in the first week is essential;
  • Seminar reading and participation in seminar discussion;
  • For final assessment, students will be asked to curate, submit and present a digital exhibition of “Fake Design”, focusing on 5 objects, with accompanying text (200 words per object) and a full bibliography of references (minumum 10) to document the research process.

Comments

This course is delivered in English. 

Assessment may be in German, if preferred. 

Key Words

fake design, intellectual property, counterfeit, plastic, radical design, fast fashion, global markets, artificial intelligence, alternative realities, fake news, anthropocene, designing nature, politics of design

Dates

Thu, 08 October 2026, 14:30–17:00 Seminarraum 31 (GCP, 1.OG)
Thu, 22 October 2026, 14:30–17:00 Seminarraum 31 (GCP, 1.OG)
Thu, 05 November 2026, 14:30–17:00 Seminarraum 33 (GCP, HP)
Thu, 19 November 2026, 14:30–17:00 Seminarraum 31 (GCP, 1.OG)
Thu, 03 December 2026, 14:30–17:00 Seminarraum 31 (GCP, 1.OG)
Thu, 17 December 2026, 14:30–17:00 Seminarraum 31 (GCP, 1.OG)
Thu, 07 January 2027, 14:30–17:00 Seminarraum 31 (GCP, 1.OG) , "(Course assessment)"

Course Enrolment

From 31 August 2026, 00:01 to 07 October 2026, 00:01
Via online registration

Art Education: study subject kkp (Bachelor): Academic Practice: FOR: Course from the Institute IKK.K 034/2026UBA-003.21

Art Education: subject kkp (Bachelor): Wissenschaftliche Praxis: FOR: Lehrveranstaltungen nach Wahl aus Wissenschaftliche Praxis 067/2016UBA-003.80

Art Education: subject kkp (Enhancements study): Wissenschaftliche Praxis: FOR: Lehrveranstaltungen nach Wahl aus Wissenschaftliche Praxis 067/2018UEW-003.80

Art Education: subject dex (Bachelor): Wissenschaftliche Praxis: FOR: aus Geschichte und Theorie der Architektur bzw. des Design (wahlweise) 074/2017UBA-003.20

Art Education: subject dex (Bachelor): Wissenschaftliche Praxis: FOR: Lehrveranstaltungen nach Wahl aus Wissenschaftliche Praxis 074/2017UBA-003.80

Art Education: subject dex (Enhancements study): Wissenschaftliche Praxis: FOR: Lehrveranstaltungen nach Wahl aus Wissenschaftliche Praxis 074/2018UEW-003.80

TransArts - Transdisciplinary Arts (Bachelor): Theoretical foundations: Theoretical foundations 180/2025UBA-003.01

Expanded Museum Studies (Master): Electives: Design History and Theory 537/2021UMA-080.24

Design: Specialisation in Communication Design (2. Section): Methodological and Theoretical Basics: Theory and History of Design 577/2025U00-203.08

Industrial Design (2. Section): Design in Context: Theory and Design History 580/2013U00-202.11

Design: Specialisation in Fashion Design (2. Section): Fashion in Context: Theory and History of Design 584/2019U00-208.01

Fine Arts (2. Section): Scientific and Research Practice: Media Theory,Art&Knowledge Transfer,Th. of Architecture,Th. and Hist. of Design 605/2019U00-202.02

Fine Arts (2. Section): Scientific and Research Practice: Free Electives out of Scientific and Research Practice 605/2019U00-202.80

Design: Specialisation in Applied Photography and Time-based Media (1. Section): Methodological and Theoretical Basics: Art and Design History 626/2021U00-103.02

Design: Specialisation in Applied Photography and Time-based Media (2. Section): Methodological and Theoretical Basics: Humanities 626/2021U00-203.02

Co-registration: possible

Attending individual courses: possible