We

The Design Research Lab is a laboratory for experimental design and research reflecting on the digital society. Through playful interventions, critical making and collaborative reasoning we investigate possible futures. As a platform and network, we are deeply involved with the requirements and policies needed for an inclusive and sustainable development of the digital society from a design perspective.

We are an interdisciplinary team of designers, researchers, tech-enthusiasts and critical thinkers from Berlin University of the Arts, German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI), Weizenbaum Institute for the Networked Society, as well as Einsteincenter Digital Future (ECDF).

Read more

Team

Prof. Dr. Gesche Joost
Head of Design Research Lab
Prof. Dr. Gesche
Joost
Dr. phil. Eleftherios Avramidis
Senior Researcher
Dr. phil. Eleftherios
Avramidis
Dr. Michelle Christensen
Senior Researcher
Dr. Michelle
Christensen
Dr. Florian Conradi
Senior Researcher
Dr. Florian
Conradi
Dr. phil. Bianca Herlo
Senior Researcher
Dr. phil. Bianca
Herlo
Dr. Daniel Irrgang
Senior Researcher
Dr. Daniel
Irrgang
Dr. phil. Andreas Unteidig
Senior Researcher
Dr. phil. Andreas
Unteidig
Marie Munz
Assistance / Project Management
Marie
Munz
Philipp von Becker
Researcher
Philipp von
Becker
Malte Bergmann
Researcher
Malte
Bergmann
Elizabeth Calderón Lüning
Researcher
Elizabeth Calderón
Lüning
Marie Dietze
Researcher
Marie
Dietze
Hannah Fischer
Researcher
Hannah
Fischer
Rahel Flechtner
Researcher
Rahel
Flechtner
Friederike Fröbel
Researcher
Friederike
Fröbel
Emilia Knabe
Researcher
Emilia
Knabe
Lutz Reiter
Researcher
Lutz
Reiter
Katharina Lorenz
Researcher
Katharina
Lorenz
Rashid Owoyele
Researcher
Rashid
Owoyele
Christian Pflug
Researcher
Christian
Pflug
Bodo Pahlke
Researcher
Bodo
Pahlke
Sandra Stark
Researcher
Sandra
Stark
Daniela Wittmann
Researcher
Daniela
Wittmann
Emil Woop
Researcher
Emil
Woop
Esther Zahn
Researcher
Esther
Zahn
Katharina Bellinger
Student Worker
Katharina
Bellinger
Clara Elisabeth Gleiß
Student Worker
Clara Elisabeth
Gleiß
Athena Grandis
Student Worker
Athena
Grandis
Mia Grote
Student Worker
Mia
Grote
Tomma Suki Hinrichsen
Student Worker
Tomma Suki
Hinrichsen
Kristina Müller
Student Worker
Kristina
Müller
Zeynep Keskin
Student Worker
Zeynep
Keskin
Ben Siegler
Student Worker
Ben
Siegler
Alina Slomkowski
Student Worker
Alina
Slomkowski
Hannah Tatjes
Student Worker
Hannah
Tatjes
Joanna Wilkans
Student Worker
Joanna
Wilkans
Lukas Wirsching
Student Worker
Lukas
Wirsching

Alumni

Gameli
Adzaho
Sénamé Koffi
Agbodjinou
Veronika
Aumann
Alexa
Beckmann
Marie Rosa
Beuthel
Dr. Tom
Bieling
Sanket
Bindle
Nina
Blume
Stephanie
Braune
Dr. phil. Katharina
Bredies
Samantha
Briehn
Lea
Brumsack
Sandra
Buchmüller
Benjamin
Bähr
Agata
Böhm
Dr. Rosan
Chow
Andrea
Clemens
Blanca Dominguez
Cobreros
Peter
Conradie
Dr. phil. Mario
Daniels
Linda
Debray
Tilmann
Dehnhard
Michael
Ertel
Chiara
Esposito
Eric
Esser
Esther
Feiertag
Marc
Ferrer
Mads Nygaard
Folkmann
Erik
Freydank
Jochen
Fuchs
Özden
Gelgeç
Johannes
Geng
Christin
Gierke
Benjamin
Gladki
Jan
Gohlke
Ulrike
Gollner
Ramyah
Gowrishankar
Dr. Berit
Greinke
Jana
Grewy
Rike
Grill
Stefan
Göllner
Nicole
Gütl
Susann
Hamann
Adam
Harvey
Christine
Hausen
Paul
Heinicker
Dr. Tincuta
Heinzel
Dr.-Ing. Fabian
Hemmert
Christian
Hertlein
Susanna
Hertrich
Daniela
Hery
Lisa
Hoffmann
Steffi
Hoffrichter
Birte
Huizing
Ron
Jagodzinski
Nikita
Jerschov
Hans-Peter
Kadel
Paula
Kassenaar
Nicole
Kengyel
André
Knörig
Marie
Kochsiek
Oscar
Koller
Paul
Kolling
Nathalie
Krüger
Miriam
Lahusen
Fabricio
Lamoncha
Dr. phil. Bastian
Lange
Jaclyn
Le
Jan
Lindenberg
Matthias
Löwe
Jeanne
Mandaroux
Joshua
Marr
Dr. Tiago
Martins
Julia
Mayer
Cathryn
McAnespy
Mandy
Meissner
Tinka
Molkenthin
Masoud
Morgan
Franziska
Müller
Alexander
Müller-Rakow
Severin
Neumann
Stephanie
Neumann
Leonie-Marie
Onas
Oscar
Palou
Riccardo
Pascotto
Hannah
Perner-Wilson
Nora
Perseke
Paola
Pierri
Michael
Pogorzhelskiy
Lorenz
Raab
Dr. phil. Thomas
Ramge
Anke
Riemer
Susanne
Ritzmann
Sara Diaz
Rodriguez
Konrad
Röpke
Dr. phil. Florian
Sametinger
Sarah
Schipper
Birga
Schlottmann
Katharina
Schmidt
Corinna
Schmidt
Dr. phil. Jennifer
Schubert
Marie Luise
Schulz
Max
Schäth
Franziska
Schüffler
Paul
Seidler
Paul
Seidler
Jojo
Shone
Ananda
Siml
Juan Pablo Garcia
Sossa
Jan-Erik
Stange
Daniel
Stepanov
Jan
Tepe
Kathrin
Vent
Lilo
Viehweg
Pauline
Vierne
Ursula
Wagner
Ebba Fransén
Waldhör
Samuel
Weiss
Lisa
Weiss
Fabian
Werfel
Julia
Werner
Max
Westbrock
Reto
Wettach
Aaron
Winter
Götz
Wintergerst
Hendrik
Wittemeier
Anne
Wohlauf
Sebastian
Wolf
Dr. Stefanie
Wuschitz
Mohit
Yadav
Jelena
Zach
Cécile
Zahorka
Josefine
Zeipelt
Youyuan
Zhao
Inci-Ana
Zohrap
show alumni (135) hide alumni (135)
Imprint
Data protection
© 2021

Make

Projects

Digital Sovereignty
Material Interactions
Social Design
HeadSense

HeadSense

Material Interactions
Bericht zum Designmethoden-Kompaktkurs “Critical Zones. Gestaltungsspielräume in der kritischen Lage unserer Erde“

Bericht zum Designmethoden-Kompaktkurs “Critical Zones. Gestaltungsspielräume in der kritischen Lage unserer Erde“

Digital Sovereignty
Social Design
Practicing Sovereignty. Means of Digital Involvement

Practicing Sovereignty. Means of Digital Involvement

Digital Sovereignty
Miadé – Local Community Networks in Lomé, Togo

Miadé – Local Community Networks in Lomé, Togo

Digital Sovereignty
Social Design
PowerGrasp – A Soft Robotic Assistive System

PowerGrasp

Material Interactions
DDAI – Design-driven Artificial Intelligence

DDAI – Design-driven Artificial Intelligence

Digital Sovereignty
Material Interactions
MYOW – Make your own Wearables

MYOW – Make your own Wearables

Material Interactions
INTERPART – Intercultural spaces of participation

INTERPART – Intercultural spaces of participation

Digital Sovereignty
Social Design
Critical Maker Culture

Critical Maker Culture

Digital Sovereignty
Material Interactions
UPLINX – Qualification on Machine Learning for Interactive Textiles

UPLINX – Qualification on Machine Learning for Interactive Textiles

Material Interactions

New

Calendar

Calls
Events
News
Talks
Teaching
Workshops
14 Jan 2021
Virtual Colloquium: Andreas Unteidig – Machines of Loving Grace
Talks
Teaching
17 Dec 2020
Lecture & Talk: Ewiges Leben als Flucht vor dem Leben? Erlösungsphantasien des Transhumanismus
Talks
17 Dec 2020
Virtual Colloquium: Julia Kloiber – Cancel the Apocalypse
Talks
Teaching
10 Dec 2020
Virtual Colloquium: Thomas Ramge – Augmented Intelligence – Making Decisions with Data and AI
Talks
Teaching
3 Nov 2020
Virtual Colloquium: Sename Koffi Agbodjinou – Decolonize the future? A vernacular vision of the digital society
Talks
Teaching
26 Nov 2020
Virtual Colloquium: Denisa Kera – Algorithmic Feudalism in the Lockdowns: Sacredness, Purity and Heretics 
Talks
Teaching
19 Nov 2020
Virtual Colloquium: Felix Oldenburg – The Power of Wealth. Is there a Place for Philanthropy in the Digital Age?
Talks
Teaching
12 Nov 2020
Virtual Colloquium: Daniel Irrgang – Technik als Mittel des Menschen vs. Technik als autonomes Phänomen: Im Spannungsfeld der Technik- und Medientheorie
Talks
Teaching
5 Nov 2020
Virtual Colloquium Kickoff: Gesche Joost – Between the New Dark Age and Tech Utopia
Talks
Teaching
10 Nov 2020 - 23 Feb 2021
Studio Class: Politics of Machines / Michelle Christensen & Florian Conradi
Teaching
show more (29)

Stuff

Resources

Code
Publications
Tools
Voraita, S. & Herlo, B. & Vogelsang, A., (2020). “Matters of Communication. Formen und Materialitäten gestalteter Kommunikation“.
Publications
Irrgang, D., (2020). “Vilém Flussers Black Box“ In Black Boxes. Versiegelungskontexte und Öffnungsversuche. Interdisziplinäre Perspektiven, eds. Eckhard Geitz, Christian Vater and Silke Zimmer-Merkle, De Gruyter, Berlin et al..
Publications
Gallico, T. and Joost, G. , (2020). “Inciting Engagement and Collaboration Through Interaction Design: An Urban Transport Systems Digitisation Case Study“ In Proceedings of the City and Complexity Virtual Conference, London, UK, 17-19 June 2020.
Publications
Christensen, M., Conradi, F., (2020). “Krise des Seins“ In Form Magazin Nr. 288 – Krise und Design, Form, Frankfurt am Main.
Publications
Christensen, M. & Conradi, F., (2020). “Algorithmic Aristocracy, Biased Biometrics and Compromised Code“ In Christensen, M., Fezer, J., Herlo, B., Hornuff, D., Joost, G.: Lechts und Rinks. Auseinandersetzungen mit dem Design der neuen Rechten., Adocs Verlag, Hamburg.
Publications
Dietze, M. & Wuschitz, S., (2020). “Strategien queer-feministischer Hack-Kollektive“ In Christensen, M., Fezer, J., Herlo, B., Hornuff, D., Joost, G.: Lechts und Rinks. Auseinandersetzungen mit dem Design der neuen Rechten., Adocs Verlag, Hamburg.
Publications
Bellinger, K., (2020). “Do-It-Yourself / Do-It-Together Masks“ In Do-It-Yourself / Do-It-Together Masks, Weizenbaum Institute, Berlin.
Tools
Herlo, B. & Joost, G., (2019). “Design for civil society. The model project Citizens connect neighborhoods – community development harnesses digital transformation“ In Proceedings of the 8th International Congress of International Association of Societies of Design Research (IASDR), Manchester, UK. .
Publications
Herlo, B., (2019). “Social Living Labs. Co-designing public and political deliberation“ In In Proceedings of the SED conference, Limassol, Cyprus..
Publications
Herlo, B., Pierri, P., and Schubert, J. , (2019). “Civic Design Through the Lens of Social Living Labs“ In Proceedings of the 17th CIRN conference, Prato, Italy.
Publications
Dietze, M. & Kochsiek, M., (2019). “DIY Intimate Tech“, Weizenbaum Institute, Berlin.
Tools
Christensen, M. & Conradi, F., (2019). “Politics of Things“, Birkhäuser, Basel.
Publications
Reiter, L., (2019). “mazi-princess [Source code]“.
Code
Fröbel, F; Avramidis E., Joost G, (2019). “Workshop on Wearables and Machine Learning: Applications of Artificial Intelligence, Αpproaches on Τextile Τechnology“ In Proceedings of the 5th ACM In Cooperation International Conference in HCI and UX (CHIuXiD 2019), ACM, Jakarta, Surabaya, Bali; Indonesia.
Publications
Gaved, M., Calderón Lüning, E., Unteidig, A. et al. , (2019). “Power, roles and adding value: reflecting on the challenges of bridging across research and action on an international community networking project“ In Proceedings of the 17th CIRN conference, Prato, Italy.
Publications
Irrgang, D., Hadler, F., and Soiné, A. (eds.), (2019). “Interface Critique no. 2: Navigating the Human“, Heidelberg University Library/arthistoricum.net, 2019, DOI: 10.11588/ic.2019.2 / ISBN 978-3-947449-74-3.
Publications
Wuschiz, S. , (2019). “Feminist Hackerspaces: When the Private gets Political“ In In Proceedings Journal of Feminist Theory.
Publications
Christensen, M. & Conradi, F., (2019). “Hacking Body Politics – Tackling the Technical Tropes“ In proceedings of Politics of the Machines Conference, Lebanese International University, Beirut, 11-14 June 2019..
Publications
Bieling, Tom (Ed.) , (2019). “Gender (&) Design: Positionen zur Vergeschlechtlichung in Gestaltungskulturen“, Mimesis, Design Meanings No. 2., Milano.
Publications
Bieling, Tom & Joost, Gesche, (2019). “Gestaltung und Verantwortung: Positionsbestimmung einer sozialverantwortlichen Technikentwicklung“ In Mensch und Computer 19, 19.
Publications
show more (255)

Christian Pflug

Researcher

Born and raised in Zwickau, Germany. Taking things apart and back together for all his life. After spending a year in Pittsburgh, PA, he studied Physical Therapy in Zwickau and worked as a Physical Therapist for 3 years. After subsequently taking his A-Levels, he now studies Product Design at the University of Applied Sciences in Potsdam, Germany and joined the Design Research Lab in July 2014