The University of Design (HfG) was a renowned institution for design and art that existed from 1953 to 1968 in Ulm, Germany. It was founded on the initiative of the German architect and Bauhaus student Max Bill and had the goal of offering modern, interdisciplinary training for designers.
The HfG Ulm placed great value on comprehensive training that covered various areas of design such as industrial design, graphic design, product design and visual communication. Particular emphasis was placed on the connection between theory and practice and on collaboration between different disciplines.
The university became a center for experimental design, attracting talented students and renowned faculty from around the world. Among the lecturers were important personalities such as Max Bill himself, Tomás Maldonado, Otl Aicher, Walter Zeischegg and many other well-known designers and theorists.
The work of the HfG Ulm was groundbreaking in the development of modern design and had a major influence on the design principles and methods that are still used today. Students were encouraged to find innovative solutions to real-world problems while incorporating the principles of functional design and aesthetics.
The best-known projects that emerged at the HfG Ulm include the Ulm Model, which was developed by Tomás Maldonado, as well as various industrial design and graphic design projects that became groundbreaking for modern design.
Although the Ulm School of Design only existed for a comparatively short period of time, it left an important legacy in the field of modern design and design theory. Their ideals and principles are still valued and applied by designers around the world today.
