Course Topics
Warm Up Project – Product Design The aim of the Warm Up Project is to introduce students to the field of three-dimensional design and its role in the development of a design project. The semester initiates a process of individual professional learning and prepares students for the project-based work carried out in the faculty. The course supports the development of a professional habitus: learning to think through making, to test and validate ideas, and to establish a solid foundation for advanced studies in design. The course is structured in three phases that build progressively: Form and Space – exploring form and our relationship with the surrounding space. Making as Research – engaging with the history of product design and recognizing making as a foundational mode of thinking and practice for designers. Detail and Body – investigating the relationship between objects and the body through exploratory and experimental exercises. In addition to the main course, students will participate in workshop-courses (officine) held at different workshop facilities.

Teaching format
Introductory lectures Hands-on exercises Weekly updates and presentation by students

Course Topics
Warm Up Project – Visual Communication The aim of the Warm Up Project – Visual Communication (VC) is to introduce students to the fundamentals of visual communication across print, editorial and digital media. The course provides a first foundation in key areas such as typography, layout, image-making, and storytelling. The semester initiates a process of individual professional learning and prepares students for the project-based work carried out in the faculty. Students are encouraged to explore and test ideas visually, to build methodological awareness, and to establish a solid basis for advanced studies in communication design. The course is structured in 3 modules that build progressively: Module 1 – Design Classics: Digital Drawing and Illustration This module introduces students to the fundamentals of digital drawing with Adobe Illustrator. It is conceived as a tool-enabling foundation module, guiding the transition from classical hand drawing to digital vector illustration. Starting from an absolute beginner’s level, students gradually build skills in line, shape, color, and composition. Equal emphasis is placed on technical proficiency and on conceptual development, encouraging students to reinterpret visual archetypes and design classics in a contemporary digital context. By the end of the module, students are expected to reach a lower-intermediate stage, with the first steps towards advanced Illustrator practice. Module 2 – Interdisciplinary Visual Communication This module explores the wide spectrum of visual communication through a series of experimental exercises. Students might work with typography, illustration, and perception, creating narrative communication across different media. The focus lies equally on building a solid understanding of traditional foundations – such as Gestalt principles, hierarchy, and visual structure – and on exploring new methods and tools, including the integration of artificial intelligence in the creative workflow. The assignments are designed as mini-projects, encouraging students to investigate specific aspects of VC in depth, while also experimenting with cross-disciplinary approaches. By combining analytical study with playful exploration, students learn to connect conceptual thinking with practical skills and to broaden their creative toolkit. Module 3 – Magazine / Editorial Project This module introduces students to the fundamentals of editorial design as a synthesis of the skills acquired throughout the course. The focus is on layout, rhythm, and sequence, explored through the production of a student-edited magazine. Students will learn how to structure visual and textual content across multiple pages, working with grids, hierarchy, and typographic systems. At the same time, they will be encouraged to shape the magazine’s content conceptually, developing narratives that connect form and meaning. Technical training includes an introduction to Adobe InDesign at a basic level, covering page setup, grid construction, and typographic control. In addition, students will acquire practical skills in bookbinding – such as thread binding, glue binding, and alternative binding methods – by producing their own prototypes. The module also introduces the preparation of print-ready files (PDF export, booklet assembly, preflight checks) and explains essential printing techniques. While not all printing methods can be realized in practice, they will be introduced theoretically and contextualized through case studies. The project culminates in the realization of a printed magazine, integrating typography, illustration, and imagery. Beyond the design of form and content, the module emphasizes the enabling of technical and workflow competence: students develop a foundational understanding of editorial production processes that will support more advanced projects in the future.

Teaching format
Introductory lectures Hands-on exercises Weekly updates and individual revisions presentations by students