WELCOME
TO THE iF DESIGN FOUNDATION
EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION FOR ACADEMIC RESEARCH AND TEACHING
We are committed to the common good. To fulfill our responsibility, we focus on academic research and education in the context of design.
We want to make a significant contribution to the advancement of design for the common good. Therefore, we implement our own projects, which inspire and promote concrete changes in design education.
It is of great importance to us that the public learns more about the social relevance of design. We publish our findings to make them known to as many people as possible, thus contributing to the advancement of knowledge.
In addition, we also participate in external projects and support them financially: we cooperate with other foundations and nonprofit organizations to pool resources and work together to make a difference.
Our roots go back to the year 1953. It was only a few years that the criminal insanity of the Nazi regime had been brought to an end. The destruction caused by the Second World War was still visible and tangible everywhere. Many people were asking themselves what they could do to create a peaceful, free and democratic future. This also applied to people from the fields of industry, culture and politics who wanted to promote design (in today's terms) as a core component for sustainability. They were convinced that design comprised social, production-related, economic, functional, cultural and aesthetic aspects in equal measure.
BOARD MEMBERS iF DESIGN FOUNDATION
In 1953, the Deutsche Industrie-Messe in Hanover staged its first exhibition of products selected on the basis of these criteria (“Sonderschau formgerechter Industrieerzeugnisse" / Special Show of Well-Designed Industrial Goods). This initiative led to the foundation of "Die gute Industrieform e.V.". Its name was later changed to "Industrie Forum" (or iF for short). By awarding design prizes, this association has pursued the original idea ever since. In 2001, the iF International Design Forum GmbH was founded, which has been implementing the iF Design Award to this day. In 2018, the sponsoring association "iF Industrie Forum Design e.V." was transferred into a non-profit, legally capable foundation under civil law, the "iF Design Foundation".
The iF Design Foundation is registered with the Commercial Register (HRG) of the Hanover Local Court. It is subject to supervision by the Ministry of the Interior of the State of Lower Saxony.
The Foundation is represented by its board. The members of the board are supported by academic and administrative staff.
OUR FIELDS OF ACTIVITY
We have made it our mission to engage in three key areas.
Research
We support academic research in the context of design. This includes, for example:
Research and studies at German and international universities on academic topics, such as design and ethics, design theory, design philosophy, evaluability of design, as well as socially relevant objects
Academic exchange in Germany and abroad (e.g. meetings, panel discussions, workshops, conferences)
Publication of academic research,
Projects conducted by other non-profit organizations based in Germany.
Education
We focus on the future of design education and design degree programs. This means, for example:
School education, academic education, professional training, especially the promotion of young designers
Cooperation with international design schools and design associations
Discussions and conferences on the future of design education
Studies on design education in Germany in comparison to international models of excellence
Projects conducted by other non-profit organizations based in Germany
Design and Society
We support contributions to the social responsibility of design. These can be projects such as:
Exhibitions on design in Germany and abroad, e.g. in cooperation with leading design museums and schools;
Lectures, conferences and publications on urban development with a special focus on sustainability aspects
Development of sustainability concepts, which are of significance to societal development and efficient use of resources;
Projects conducted by other non-profit organizations based in Germany.
