25 years ago Otl Aicher died unexpectedly. With him, his inimitable character and his indisputable pioneering work entered the history of visual design. Otl Aicher not only left behind a permanent gap, but also a range of pertaining questions. The process of intelligent questioning is considered one of Aicher’s most effective methods to specify a design problem and to identify ways for appropriate solutions.
Aicher’s pioneering achievements in the development of visual systems and universal design methods (design as a game of rules) are undisputed and have shaped design education internationally since the 1960s. Less known but equally important is his attitude as a designer and the resulting claim of social relevance of design. The talk will take up this track.
Prof. Dr. Markus Rathgeb has been a lecturer in Mediendesign at DHWB Ravensburg since 2001, where he also heads the Department Mediendesign II since 2008. His main focus is graphic design, design methodology and typography. Markus Rathgeb studied communication design in Wiesbaden and Sydney and received a PhD at the University of Reading (UK). He worked for various design offices in Germany and most recently as creative director at alligator design, London. As a book author and design researcher, his scientific work led to a series of publications, among others the monograph on the work of Otl Aicher, published by Phaidon in 2007. He regularly writes for international design magazines such as FORM or Eye Magazine.
