Craft Design

What does design look like when it emerges from craftsmanship – and looks ahead at the same time?At the heart of this project from the Akademie für Handwerksdesign at Gut Rosenberg, part of the Chamber of Skilled Crafts Aachen, is a table designed and crafted with a strong focus on sustainability – created by young makers who engage deeply with questions of resources, processes and social responsibility. The students will present their project in person, offering insight into their working methods, values and motivations.The Academy sees itself as a place where design ideas are developed and realised from within the craft itself. Craftsmanship, design and entrepreneurial thinking are interwoven. The aim is to develop solutions that are not only aesthetically convincing, but also make sense in terms of use, durability and feasibility. The students work independently, think entrepreneurially and develop concrete business models – often with the goal of founding their own companies and exploring new paths in contemporary craft. At the centre of all this is the human being – as both designer and user. Especially in individual commissions and small-scale, manufactory-style production, good design requires a deep understanding of needs, materials and processes. The student project presented here serves as a vivid example of how new approaches to sustainable products can emerge from the craft sector – combining tradition, technology and an awareness of the world we live in.