DAT Summer School: Design, Culture, and Belonging

What it is about

You work experience-based at the intersection of design, culture and belonging. You reflect on your own identity, learn how culture can be shaped through design, and in teams you design an experiential concept that fosters belonging.

What you will be able to do

• Describe the impact of belonging or exclusion in at least 3 examples
• Explain how culture can be designed through design, with at least 2 examples
• Understand your own identity and communicate its central aspects to others
• Be able to create conditions for successful collaboration in project contexts

What the module consists of

• Impulse SessionIntroduction to core concepts of the module
• 3‑day Retreat (Forschungsstation Berchtesgaden)Central, practice-oriented work, exchange and prototyping in teams
• Public presentation/ExhibitionPresentation and discussion of results before a larger audience

Teaching method

• Impulse/Short LecturesConveying foundational knowledge and methods in compact units
• Seminar-style discussions of assigned textsDeepening theoretical understanding
• Reflective exercisesPromotion of personal self-reflection and application of learned methods
• Teamwork on design tasksPractically oriented application and development of collaborative skills
• Prototyping and interventionsExperimenting and testing approaches to foster belonging
• Outdoor activities in the Berchtesgadener environmentSupplement and enrichment of the learning experience through the surroundings