Course detail
Contemporary Theory of Design
FaVU-STDESAcad. year: 2025/2026
The course provides an overview of some current conceptualizations of the field of design and the term "design." Rather than a condensed linear interpretation of individual design trends, the course focuses on contextualizing design as a heterogeneous, rapidly changing, and contradictory field of knowledge, developing mainly in the Western world; in other words, it focuses on recognizing the discursive multiplicity of design. Following on from this, the aim of the course is to raise awareness of the need for design theory as a vehicle for reflecting on design practice. In the course, students will become familiar with various narratives about the nature and goals of design, with forms of criticism of individual discourses, they will learn to situate various design practices and professions, they will learn about the internal current relationships of design to other fields and also about the thematization of design from the perspective of other fields, and they will discuss the ability of design to influence the world.
Language of instruction
Number of ECTS credits
Mode of study
Guarantor
Department
Entry knowledge
An interest in contemporary design practice.
Rules for evaluation and completion of the course
The following conditions apply for grading:
- Active participation in class (max. 2 unexcused absences)
- Completion of simple ongoing group and individual assignments in MS Teams
Classes are held in the FaVU VUT classrooms at the times specified in the schedule. Attendance is mandatory (2 unexcused absences allowed).
In the case of distance learning due to an internship at another art college, successful completion of the course is conditional on active participation in a series of substitute assignments in an online environment. For accurate information, students are required to contact the course instructor no later than the second week of the semester, who will specify the specific conditions and form of completion. In the last week of the semester, it is also necessary to contact the instructor again to determine the method of assessment and verification of the knowledge acquired.
Aims
By completing the course, students will::
become familiar with various narratives about the nature and goals of design and with forms of criticism of individual discourses,
learn to situate and reflect on various design practices and professions, including their own,
reflect on power relations in design and the changing role of designers in today's world,
critically examine the reasons and rationality that shape design decisions,
learn to perceive theory not only as information, but also as a transformative tool that raises questions about the meaning of knowledge and the creation of things,
learn about the current relationships between design and other disciplines, as well as the thematization of design from the perspective of other disciplines,
Study aids
Prerequisites and corequisites
Basic literature
Recommended reading
Bratton, B. H. (2016). The stack: On software and sovereignty. Cambridge, MA: MIT press. (EN)
Colomina, B., & Wigley, M. (2016). Are we human? Notes on an Archaeology of Design. Zürich: Lars Müller. (EN)
Costanza-Chock, S. (2020). Design Justice: Community-led Practices to Build the Worlds We Need. The MIT Press. (EN)
Dunne, A., & Raby, F. (2013). Speculative Everything: Design, Fiction, and Social Dreaming. The MIT Press. (EN)
Easterling, K. (2021). Medium design: Knowing how to work on the world. Verso Books. (EN)
Escobar, A. (2018). Designs for the pluriverse: Radical interdependence, autonomy, and the making of worlds. Duke University Press. (EN)
Forlano, L. (2017). Posthumanism and Design. She Ji: The Journal of Design, Economics, and Innovation, 3, 1 (2017/03/01/ 2017), 16-29. (EN)
Fry, T. (2019). "Design as an Ontological Question." In Willis, Anne-Marie, ed. The design philosophy reader. Bloomsbury Publishing. Fry, T. (2019). "Design as an Ontological Question." In Willis, Anne-Marie, ed. The design philosophy reader. Bloomsbury Publishing. (EN)
Fry, T. (2020). Defuturing: A New Design Philosophy. Bloomsbury Publishing. (EN)
Gerritzen, M., & Lovink, G. (2019). Made in China, Designed in California, Criticised in Europe: Amsterdam Design Manifesto. (EN)
Helvert, M. V. (2016). Responsible Objects, Utopian Desires: A Two-Sided Monologue on the Future of Design. In Helvert, M. V., & Bandoni, A. The responsible object: A history of design ideology for the future. Valiz. Pp. 251 – 261. (EN)
Manzini, E. (2015). Design, When Everybody Designs: An Introduction to Design for Social Innovation. The MIT Press. (EN)
Peloušková, K. (2020). Sejde z očí, sejde z mysle: Design mezi služebností a udržitelností. Sešit Pro Umění, Teorii a Příbuzné Zóny, (28). (CS)
Roberts, C. N. (2023). Design Strategy. Challenges in Wicked Problem Territory. The MIT Press. (EN)
Sterling, B. (2019). Vytváření věcí. Vysoká škola uměleckoprůmyslová (VŠUP, UMPRUM). (CS)
Tonkinwise, C. (2019). "Ethics by Design or the Ethos of Things." In Willis, A-M (ed.). The Design Philosophy Reader. Bloomsbury Visual Arts. Pp. 83 – 90. (EN)
Willis, A-M. (2015). Transition Design: The Need to Refuse Discipline and Transcend Instrumentalism, Design Philosophy Papers, vol. 13, č. 1. (EN)
Classification of course in study plans
- Programme DES_B Bachelor's 3 year of study, summer semester, compulsory
3 year of study, summer semester, compulsory
3 year of study, summer semester, compulsory
3 year of study, summer semester, compulsory - Programme VUM_B Bachelor's 3 year of study, summer semester, elective
4 year of study, summer semester, elective
3 year of study, summer semester, elective
4 year of study, summer semester, elective
3 year of study, summer semester, elective
4 year of study, summer semester, elective
3 year of study, summer semester, elective
4 year of study, summer semester, elective
3 year of study, summer semester, elective
4 year of study, summer semester, elective
3 year of study, summer semester, elective
4 year of study, summer semester, elective
3 year of study, summer semester, elective
4 year of study, summer semester, elective
3 year of study, summer semester, elective
4 year of study, summer semester, elective
3 year of study, summer semester, elective
4 year of study, summer semester, elective
3 year of study, summer semester, elective
4 year of study, summer semester, elective
3 year of study, summer semester, elective
4 year of study, summer semester, elective
3 year of study, summer semester, elective
4 year of study, summer semester, elective
Type of course unit
Lecture
Teacher / Lecturer
Syllabus
1. What is the purpose of design theory?
2. On the autonomy of design I. Design and fine art.
3. On the autonomy of design II. Design is everywhere, and everyone is a designer?
4. Design thinking and human-centered design.
5. Speculative and critical design.
6. The social relevance of design. Design for social innovation.
7. Ontological design. Sustainability and inclusion.
8. System-oriented design, medium design, and transitive design.
9. Theory of digital technology design, infrastructure spaces, and computational strategies.
10. On the autonomy of design III. Designer skills and expertise.