Library for Social Design

The original idea behind the LIBRARY FOR SOCIAL DESIGN, initiated by Friedrich von Borries at the University of Fine Arts (HFBK) of Hamburg, was to encourage students to tackle a book a month during their degree course—making 60 books in all over a regular study period of 5 years à 12 months each.

26.4.2017—14.5.2017

MAK Forum

But the booklist is intended to be neither canonical nor a numerically limited inventory to be mechanically worked through. For this reason, it is essential that an ongoing discussion over the books in the library take place—as is indeed the case. As a result, the library’s inventory is subject to a permanent process of change—the debate over social design has to be constantly updated and provided with new impulses.

Through discussion of thematically relevant books, the LIBRARY FOR SOCIAL DESIGN confronts the design field with its responsibility towards society and at the same time generates ideas for developing new methodologies and innovative research initiatives. As an institution that is both temporary and mobile, the library is intended to show up in a whole range of different places and contexts—at the MAK in Vienna it will be presented to the public for the first time!

The Creation of the library was made possible by the Leinemann Foundation for Education and the Arts, Hamburg: Julian Bühler, Frieder Bohaumitzky, Julia Böttcher, Lukas Esser, Helena Kersting, Claudia Koch sowie Friedrich von Borries, Jesko Fezer und Stefan Wunderwald.

In cooperation with AG Gesellschaftsdesign der Hochschule für bildende Künste Hamburg

Curator
Sebastian Hackenschmidt, Curator, MAK Furniture and Woodwork Collection

OPENING

Tue, 25.4.2017, 7 p.m.

Panel discussion:

Friedrich von Borries (HfBK Hamburg) in conversation with cultural manager Heidemarie Dobner (Globart Academy, Vienna), economist Wolfgang Spiess-Knafl (Next Generation Impact, Vienna), and lawyer and foundation chairman Ralf Leinemann (Leinemann Foundation for Education and the Arts, Hamburg)

PROGRAM

Further panel discussions in the context of the LIBRARY FOR SOCIAL DESIGN:

Tue, 2.5.2017, 7 p.m.

Friedrich von Borries (HfBK Hamburg) in conversation with writer Ilija Trojanow (Vienna) and designer Thomas Feichtner (Vienna)

Tue, 9.5.2017, 7 p.m.

Sebastian Hackenschmidt (MAK) in conversation with exhibition curator Brigitte Felderer (University of Applied Arts Vienna) and folklorist Klara Löffler (Department of European Ethnology, University of Vienna)

Media

Exhibition View © MAK/Georg Mayer

Reading Table [Green]

Arrangement of the Reading Tables