Celebrating the Bachelor Graduates

The Faculty of Design at HfG Offenbach celebrates this year’s Bachelor graduates, whose thesis projects explore the social, cultural, technological, and ecological impact of design. Their work demonstrates how contemporary design extends far beyond aesthetics, engaging with questions of sustainability, accessibility, healthcare, information and responsibility. The field of Design Theory (Prof. Dr. Tom Bieling) is represented by several works.

Sven Robin Drescher (“Open Source, Freeware, Right-to-Repair” explores how open design principles can shape the future of product design. His thesis examines strategies such as open-source documentation, decentralized manufacturing, repairability, and standardized components, arguing for products that are longer-lasting, more accessible, and compatible with circular economy principles.

Franca Hoßfeld (“Pain Meets Design”) investigates how design influences the experience of pain in medical settings. Drawing on research in neuroscience, environmental psychology and design, she demonstrates how materials, colors, forms, and spatial design can reduce anxiety, foster trust and improve the overall patient experience.

Safia Amamanda Jahn Eichin (“Read the Room: Curating as a Form of Knowledge”) examines exhibition design as a cultural practice that shapes public understanding. Her thesis argues that accessibility depends not only on physical access but also on how exhibitions communicate meaning through language, spatial organization and curatorial decisions.

Alexey Kosin (“Power Competence” / “Machtkompetenz”) analyzes power as a fundamental condition of design practice. He argues that designers do not merely create products but actively structure human behavior, communication, and social systems, highlighting the growing responsibility of designers in an increasingly digital society.

Candelaria Maspero Fitzpatrick (“Visible and Invisible Information”) compares three government food-labeling systems from Sweden, Chile, and Germany. Her research investigates how graphic design can either inform or mislead consumers, revealing how public information competes with commercial packaging in shaping purchasing decisions.

Yun Song (“Data Visualization and Spatial Interfaces in the Age of Information Overload”) explores how interfaces can better match human perception and cognition. His thesis proposes spatial approaches to data visualization that distribute information across depth, movement and peripheral vision, enabling users to navigate complex information more intuitively.

Thesese (and further) projects reflect the breadth of contemporary design research within the teaching field of Design Theory at HfG Offenbach. By addressing pressing societal challenges through critical inquiry , the graduates demonstrate the transformative potential of design in shaping our futures.