Header Image for Punk & Participation: A Group of 4 Graphic Designers posing in their exhibition about societal design and graphic resistance.
Punk & Participation: Communication design in dialogue with today’s challenges ✱ Punk & Participation: Communication design in dialogue with today’s challenges ✱ Punk & Participation: Communication design in dialogue with today’s challenges ✱ Punk & Participation: Communication design in dialogue with today’s challenges ✱ Punk & Participation: Communication design in dialogue with today’s challenges ✱ Punk & Participation: Communication design in dialogue with today’s challenges ✱

Image Credits: Leen Al Shemaly

Project Overview:
Fall 2023/24, Fall 2024/25
Berlin International University of Applied Sciences

Categories:
Graphic Design, Visual Communication Design, Interaction Design, Social Design, Critical Design, Spatial Design Practice

What opportunities do young communication designers see to facilitate a dialogue about the challenges of our zeitgeist? And how can design interrogate wicked problems, creating narratives that spotlight their underlying causes?

‘Punk & Participation’ leverages research for and through design to gain insights into how storytelling can foster conversations and shed light on discussions of relevance for a generation of young designers. The topics range from very personal experiences, such as the promotion of misleading body perceptions among young women, to wicked problems, such as the fight against fake news in increasingly authoritarian systems.

See all ‘Punk & Participation’ Projects

The prototypical responses (and new questions raised) reveal a wide range of outputs, from physical installations to virtual experiences. All projects challenged the student researchers to rethink and integrate the elements of punk—understood as passionate protest—and participation—reflecting contribution towards societal integration—into their work.

Trailer for Berlin Design Week 2025 at Berlin International University of Applied Sciences

Trailer for Berlin Design Week 2025 at Berlin International University of Applied Sciences

Contact: 
Prof. Henrik Rieß
Interaction Design and Visual Communication

Berlin International
University of Applied Sciences

Salzufer 6, 10587 Berlin, Germany

Tel: +49 30 81 05 80 80
E-Mail: riess[at]berlin-international.de

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