The focus in teaching and research lies upon the history and theory of contemporary design. As such, the Professorship strives to elucidate the transformations in technology and society that have evolved over the course of the twentieth century to define new conditions for design and its theory, and, in turn, to derive novel concepts, methods and techniques for the practice itself. Here, well-known approaches in the history and theory of design are supplemented by those derived from the history of technology and social history.
The traditional understanding of design – as a discipline defined primarily in terms of authorship and objects – is thus being critically reflected upon and contextualised with contemporary design cultures and practices. This forward-thinking approach towards design theory fosters the critical exploration ofcontemporary design and its cultural conditions (implicit and explicit), which shape and determine the practice and its understanding. The overall goal is therefore to expand design theory towards multiple (interdisciplinary) approaches, and to do justice to the broad-ranging tasks of this discipline.