Summer Workshops Digital Communication Environments 2022

Letterforms are captivating. They help create stories and pictures in your mind when you read. Through letterforms we access and retrieve important information at any time. And, we experience the world differently through them. Letterforms can function extremely small and enormously large. With letterforms texts are type set and pictures “painted”. Typographic characters have a rich and various spectrum of forms. In past centuries letterforms were a part of major art movements; later, in the 19th Century they became more fashionable and stylistic, in the 20th Century they became more systematic! And what is new in this Century? The workshop will explain and show that it is in the detail of each letterform that its character lies. Our concentration in the workshop will focus on a number of type signs with regard to a concept based on the optical rules of the three basic shapes in Latin type (circle, square, triangle), the different stroke and curve directions and their terminals. The interaction of drawing by hand and further development on the computer allows for a differentiated, and perhaps new, awareness and appreciation for type forms.

Prof. Philipp Stamm, 1966, was trained as a typographer before he began his studies at the Basel School of Design in Typographic Design and Visual Communication. His thesis project dealt with the theme “The Extension of the Latin Alphabet for the German Language”. It has been published in the “Swiss Typographic Magazine” 1/1997 et al. The type design work was exhibited in 2000 at the “Künstlerhaus” in Vienna and 2004 at the “Museum für Gestaltung” in Zurich. In 2001 he designed the font “Gutzwiller” for a private bank in Switzerland. Since 2000 Philipp Stamm is lecturer in Typography, Type Design and Corporate Design at the HGK in Basel. Apart from his teaching activity, he worked eight years on a documentation of the complete typographic work of Adrian Frutiger. Over a two-year period he conducted interviews and discussions with the well-known Swiss type designer. In 2008 the comprehensive Monograph of Adrian Frutiger’s Type Design was published in German, English and French – Heidrun Osterer, Philipp Stamm: “Adrian Frutiger – Typefaces: The Complete Works”. The second edition, revised and expanded with a index, was published in 2014 by www.birkhauser.ch.

Visual Communication is at the center of conceiving images for daily life. They influence our perception of the world by creating emotive imagery for communication, informational design or scientific visualizations. Especially in today’s world of global communication channels, we need to know more about how images are perceived in order to create and disseminate them consciously and conscientiously. This field of Design Research focuses on the acquisition of knowledge in the wide field of iconic phenomena. Academic disciplines such as Art History, Linguistics, Psychology and Anthropology have described the need for a scientific approach to images. Most academic centers focus on research questions with a theoretical methodology. In contrast, the approach of “Practice-led Iconic Research* ” is focusing on the generation of knowledge through a practice based methodology. The workshop “Inquiry by Design” introduces participants to the practice based issues of iconic research in the area of Visual Communication. At the beginning, the workshop focuses on the formulation of an iconic research question and a practical methodology of exploration and inquiry by design. During the week participants create a portfolio of images, which explore a design strategy in finding exemplary visual answers. The workshop is for designers or educators who are involved in the practice of communication design and the reflection upon visual communication for today’s world.

*Renner M., et al. : Practice-led Iconic Research, Visible Language, the journal of visual communication research, 51.3/52.1. Dezember 2017/April 2018, Cincinnati.

Michael Renner, 1961, experienced the digital revolution first-hand when he went to work for Apple Computer Inc. and The Understanding Business in California in 1986, just after completing his diploma as Graphic Designer at the Basel School of Design. Research and reflection upon the meaning of images in the context of digital tools became the central theme of Renner’s practical and theoretical design activities. Since 1990, he has his own design Studio in Basel with corporate and cultural clients. He started teaching in 1990 in the Visual Communication Institute at the Basel School of Design (HGK FHNW) with an emphasis on Information Design, Interaction Design and Design Research. In 1999 he was named chairman of the institute. From 2005 until 2013 he was member of “eikones”, the Swiss National Center of Competence in Iconic Research and the European research network “What Images Do”. His approach to develop research activities in the field of design is based on the aim to further develop existing competencies of image creation. With this approach of gaining knowledge through the creation of images the design process becomes the central research theme and a methodology at the same time. He has lectured and taught workshops in Europe and abroad. Renner is visiting Professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago and at the Politecnico di Milano. He is member of the advisory board of Visible Language and of the Alliance Graphique Internationale (AGI).

What the requirements are for a successful poster design is an on-going topic of discussion. A poster is a large 2-dimensional surface with a fascinating illusion of space and perspective. It needs to arouse interest and curiosity, its message will have to be understandable in a matter of seconds and even from a distance. Its appearance should be equally fascinating and informative. The design has to correspond to many different factors: a key concept, an existing corporate identity, recognizability, legibility, originality, and artistic expression. There are countless design options – which is the right one? How do you reach the desired target audience? What influence do the design process and the printing technique have on the content of the message and the aesthetics of the poster? Do graphic designers and beholders in the street understand the term design quality to mean the same thing? Does the printed poster meet the desired requirements, or does the information require a form of communication that makes the use of digital media (time-based media) useful?
In the “Poster Design” workshop, we pursue approaches that lead to precise and aesthetically pleasing poster designs. We shall experimentally test various ideas in drafts and refine, analyze, question, and condense them into a final poster.
In the online workshop, we shall focus on the digitally presented, animated poster. If the workshop takes place physically at the Basel School of Design, the focus will be on the design of a printed, large-format poster.

Jiri Oplatek was born in Born, in the former ČSSR in 1976. From 1993 to 1999 he attended the Basel School of Design, where he graduated as a graphic designer in 1999. He then worked at Meissner + Mangold, among others for the Vitrashop Group. After three years at Meissner + Mangold, he founded the graphic and interaction studio ‹Claudiabasel› together with Thomas Bircher and Roland John. He designs mostly corporate designs, posters and books, primarily in the cultural field, among others for the Theater Basel, the Kaserne Basel, the Swiss Architecture Museum and the Museum Tinguely. Since 2012 he has been a lecturer at the HGK Basel in the field of visual communication. In 2019 he won the poster and design competition for the ‹Kieler Woche 2020›. He is responsible for the design of the competition ‹100 beste Plakate Deutschland, Österreich, Schweiz 2021›. His work has received numerous national and international awards as well as solo and group exhibitions. claudiabasel.ch

Internationally, Swiss graphic design enjoys an excellent reputation – in particular the style of the 1950s and 1960s has become legendary. But what is the Swiss Style label actually about and how did it emerge? Why are certain works or designers deemed to be part of it – and others not? Why do we only know a mere handful of designers from this era? And what does this historical development mean for today’s forms of visual communication?
This workshop offers an introduction to the history of Swiss graphic design based on current research studies. Through guided tours of the collections, participants will learn about and critically question basic working methods of design history based on original material such as posters. This includes, for instance, researching objects that are part of collections and archives, analyzing graphic works, images, and written source materials, designing an exhibition or conducting interviews with designers.
The one-week workshop is intended for people from design practice interested in applying their design experience and visual competence to historical issues and using the knowledge they have acquired for further research in their own practice. It is also intended for all those who are interested in entering this discipline. No previous knowledge is required.

Sandra Bischler studierte Kommunikationsdesign an der Hochschule RheinMain und der University of Technology Sydney sowie Kunst- und Designwissenschaft mit Schwerpunkt Designgeschichte an der Folkwang Universität der Künste in Essen und der Universität Duisburg-Essen. In ihrer Abschlussarbeit untersuchte sie den Zusammenhang von Verwissenschaftlichung und Systemdesign in der Abteilung Visuelle Kommunikation der Hochschule für Gestaltung Ulm.
Anschliessend arbeitete sie im Museum für Gestaltung Zürich als kuratorische Assistenz in der Abteilung Ausstellungen sowie im Vermittlungsteam. Seit 2016 ist sie wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiterin am Institut Visuelle Kommunikation der HGK FHNW in Basel. Sie forscht im Rahmen des SNF-Sinergia-Projekts „Swiss Graphic Design and Typography Revisited“ zur Geschichte der Grafik-Ausbildung in Basel. Zudem ist sie Doktorandin an der Folkwang Universität der Künste in Essen mit einem Projekt zur Ausbildung in visueller Kommunikation in den 1950er und 1960er Jahren.Sandra Bischler studierte Kommunikationsdesign an der Hochschule RheinMain und der University of Technology Sydney sowie Kunst- und Designwissenschaft mit Schwerpunkt Designgeschichte an der Folkwang Universität der Künste in Essen und der Universität Duisburg-Essen. In ihrer Abschlussarbeit untersuchte sie den Zusammenhang von Verwissenschaftlichung und Systemdesign in der Abteilung Visuelle Kommunikation der Hochschule für Gestaltung Ulm.
Anschliessend arbeitete sie im Museum für Gestaltung Zürich als kuratorische Assistenz in der Abteilung Ausstellungen sowie im Vermittlungsteam. Seit 2016 ist sie wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiterin am Institut Visuelle Kommunikation der HGK FHNW in Basel. Sie forscht im Rahmen des SNF-Sinergia-Projekts „Swiss Graphic Design and Typography Revisited“ zur Geschichte der Grafik-Ausbildung in Basel. Zudem ist sie Doktorandin an der Folkwang Universität der Künste in Essen mit einem Projekt zur Ausbildung in visueller Kommunikation in den 1950er und 1960er Jahren.

As designers, we develop images and visual-communication media with the aim that a viewer should be able to perceive and understand the messages we are pursuing with the design. Quite often, it is not possible to check in advance whether the goal of a communication has really been achieved. This workshop will show the possibilities and methods to explore a design from the perspective of a viewer (interview, survey, usability testing, and eye-tracking, etc.). Does the message of the poster get across? Is the diagram understood? Does the photograph arouse interest? Is the typography legible?
In the course of this one-week workshop, questions that explore the viewers’ perception will be developed and tested, and different approaches to data collection will be presented and applied. We shall familiarize ourselves with different possibilities of data evaluation, discuss their advantages and limitations, and interpret the results with regard to our own design.
This workshop is intended for people from design practice who would like to gain more knowledge about the possibilities of assessing the impact of their projects as well as for people who would like to get to know methods of design research in order to enter this field.

Claire Reymond is a Research Associate at the Institute of Digital Communication Environments, FHNW Academy of Art and Design. She conducts research in the field of image production as well as the visual reception of images. At the Faculty of Psychology, University of Basel, she is researching and pursuing her doctorate in the field of empirical aesthetics.
In 2000, Claire Reymond completed her training as a graphic designer at the Basel School of Design and then worked as a designer for several years. From 2005 till 2010, she completed a Bachelor's degree in Psychology specializing in visual perception at the University of Basel and rounded off her further education in 2012 with a Master's degree. In 2019, Claire Reymond was a visiting researcher at metaLAB at Harvard University, USA.

The development of visual messages for digital and analogue communication channels is based on design processes. In this process, solution variants emerge that can be compared and evaluated to arrive at a definitive solution. In practice, design processes lead to a solution proposed for a singular task, which can be derived and also verbally argued about.
But how can this ability to create variants be used for the purpose of research so that an insight emerges that may be applied and described beyond the solution for a merely singular task? How can we research something with a design and, thus, contribute to the critical discourse on the impact of visual messages and the applications of digital media?
In the course of this one-week workshop, participants will learn about a design-based approach to research. They will learn how to formulate a research question and how to develop answers to a question through the very process of design.
This workshop is intended for people from the practical field of design who want to learn more about design research and its interfaces with other fields of knowledge (image studies, media studies, anthropology, and psychology). The workshop is moreover intended for people interested in a reflected approach to practice or who want to learn about methods of design research in order to become active in this field of research. .

Michael Renner, 1961, experienced the digital revolution first-hand when he went to work for Apple Computer Inc. and The Understanding Business in California in 1986, just after completing his diploma as Graphic Designer at the Basel School of Design. Research and reflection upon the meaning of images in the context of digital tools became the central theme of Renner’s practical and theoretical design activities. Since 1990, he has his own design Studio in Basel with corporate and cultural clients. He started teaching in 1990 in the Visual Communication Institute at the Basel School of Design (HGK FHNW) with an emphasis on Information Design, Interaction Design and Design Research. In 1999 he was named chairman of the institute. From 2005 until 2013 he was member of “eikones”, the Swiss National Center of Competence in Iconic Research and the European research network “What Images Do”. His approach to develop research activities in the field of design is based on the aim to further develop existing competencies of image creation. With this approach of gaining knowledge through the creation of images the design process becomes the central research theme and a methodology at the same time. He has lectured and taught workshops in Europe and abroad. Renner is visiting Professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago and at the Politecnico di Milano. He is member of the advisory board of Visible Language and of the Alliance Graphique Internationale (AGI).

During the workshop the participants will get to know the uncanny world of variable fonts. The flexible, adaptable fonts are mentioned everywhere – but what possibilities do they offer? How are they developed and how can they be used? During the week, participants of the workshop have the opportunity to experiment with this font technology, realizing their own ideas. Even though variable fonts are a digital technology, the workshop starts with analogue technologies.
Equipped with wax, we will develop experimental letter forms, on the edge of readability, using the bandwidth between positive and negative space.
From these experiments the participants will develop the vocabulary of the individual type faces and  translate them to digital drawings related to the variable font axes.
We will extend the fonts to a basic Latin character set and include at least two axes. In addition, a motion-based showcase or documentation of the fonts will be developed as a final step of the workshop.

Fabian Harb in collaboration with Dinamo and Omnigroup
Together with Johannes Breyer, Fabian Harb is directing Dinamo, a digital foundry offering retail and bespoke typefaces, software, and consultancy. Based in Basel, they have been teaching internationally and since 2018, they are members of the AGl. So far, Dinamo has released more than 20 typefaces, oscillating between commercial and cultural contexts.
Omnigroup is the shared practice of Simon Mager and Leonardo Azzolini, a Lausanne based design studio that operates within the fields of graphic and type design, web development, visual identities and education. In 2022, together with Dinamo, they will publish a typeface project based around the work of seminal Swiss type design educator Walter Käch.
http://abcdinamo.com

FHNW Academy of Art and Design
Institute of Visual Communication
Freilager-Platz 1
Postfach

CH-4002 Basel

FHNW Academy of Art and Design
Institute of Visual Communication

Freilager-Platz 1, Hochhaus: D 5.03
4142 Münchenstein b. Basel

T +41 61 228 41 11
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