Design is a powerful tool – culturally, socially and politically influential. The Book Art/Graphic Design programme at the HGB understands graphic design as a reflective, artistically driven practice that goes beyond purely formal solutions. Design is seen here as a process: investigative, experimental, critical and rooted in a rich design tradition.
The two-year foundation course (Module 1) lays the foundations for this practice. It provides a broad visual vocabulary – in form, content and attitude – together with a solid handcraft base. Students explore their own design interests and sharpen their perception of imagery, typography and graphic systems.
Alongside the foundation courses in graphic design, drawing and typography, there are interdisciplinary workshops and laboratory formats providing space to explore a further variety of techniques – from hand-setting type and bookbinding to analogue printing processes and digital tools.
Historically rooted in European book culture, the programme is now positioned in an open, transcultural, contemporary field. Design is taught as a social, cultural and communicative practice – with an awareness of the evolving role of designers in digital, networked publics. Production here means not only making, but also thinking, researching and deciding.
In the second year, the focus shifts to more project-based and transdisciplinary work – a preparation for the class-based, main study phase, which allows for individual depth and specialization. Teaching is interactive, individually supervised and encourages independent thinking and critical collaboration.