Hochschule für Gestaltung Schwäbisch Gmünd: Design for people – intensive research for the future

At the Hochschule für Gestaltung (Schwä­bisch Gmünd College of Design, or HfG) everything has to do with design. At the college design is considered an innovative discipline and is taught on a methodical scientific basis. Whether it’s designing a corporate logo, digital information systems or products – design must be coherent and oriented to human needs. Solid design basics, good market knowl­edge, socio-cultural and ecologically-oriented business background knowledge are the prerequisites for needs-based design.

The numerous cooperative schemes in the region and the challenging research activities at the college are making their mark here. Several innovative and patentable product developments in the area of health, medical technology and the automotive industry, including the “hapTECH/haptICS” projects, subsidized with a total amount of 520,000 euros by the German Ministry of Education and Research, and the research project “Ergonomie im OP”, which is being carried out together with Paul Hartmann AG and the Tübingen University Clinic, are currently in their var­­­­­­ious development stages at the college. And the college even has a development agreement with Deutsche Telekom – the Institute for Applied Re­­search (IAF), which is attached to the design college, is coordinating the re­­search work and providing additional stimulus.