Werkplaats Typografie

Contents

PROGRAMME

The WT programme stimulates and practices critical reflection on the

basis of a broad cultural perspective, with theory playing a support-

ing role. Participants engage in artistic research involving content and

form, text and image, theory and practice, in relation to professional

practice and supervised by leading designers.

Alongside more theoretical research, participants work on real

assignments for external clients. With these assignments participants

learn to take on a leading role in the process of designing and realizing

a final product. This includes dealings with several parties (editors,

publishers, printers...) and handling the tensions between maintaining

one´s artistic vision and answering to the wishes of the client.

The WT programme roughly consists of three components: 1)

Presentations, individual and group critiques, workshops; 2) Practical

assignments and 3) theoretical orientation in the form of research,

excursions and a final thesis.

Assignments can be initiated by the WT, external clients, or by the

participants themselves. Working for external clients guarantees real

content and real deadlines though still within the relative security of a

learning situation, supervised by various external experts. Whether the

assignments are commissioned externally or by the WT, participants

learn to deal with the complexity of an entire process from the initial

development of an idea to its execution. In addition, participants are

stimulated to initiate their own projects; these are an extension of

individual interests and relate to issues relevant for the field.

INTRODUCTORY EXCURSION

During the month of September an introductory excursion is organ-

ized. Excursions in the past have been to contemporary exhibitions

or events such as the Venice Biennial, Documenta in Kassel, the

European biennial, Manifesta. This trip forms the start of the theory

programme and establishes the content of the year´s first reader.

INTRODUCTORY WORKSHOP

Also in September, participants take part in a project determined and

supervised by an external guest supervisor. The guest supervisor is

initiator of the workshop and can be a visual artist, photographer,

editor, publisher, filmmaker or designer whose working method is

deemed relevant for the participants. The workshop is a three-week

intensive cooperation which results in a concrete final product.

THEORY

Because the WT upholds the belief that a good designer must be

broadly orientated and well-informed in order to be able to adopt a

reflective position, a theory programme runs parallel as an integrated

part of the design process. Current cultural and social questions

form its basis. During the entire two-year programme participants

visit exhibits, symposiums and other forms of relevant presentations.

Lectures are organized, articles are studied and discussed. The theory

programme results in two publications, both of which are drawn up,

designed and published by the participants of the WT. The publica-

tions (or readers as they have been called) bring together theoretical

and hands-on research in the creating or sourcing of content, editorial

consideration and the final design.

THESIS

The thesis is the end product of the participant´s independent study

spanning his/her two years at the WT.

In general the thesis is a collection of projects, which are part of a

continuous exploration of concerns and interests in relation to the par-

ticipant´s position as a designer. During the two years participants will

work independently on personal research, supervised by the thesis tu-

tor. This inquiry is based on a hypothesis, which is answered by means

of clear arguments. The final result can range from a written report to

a video. There are two main stages in the period of research, the first is

the selection and formulation of the hypothesis and the second is the

structuring and organisation of the content. Both stages of the thesis

are assessed.

OCCASIONAL LARGE-SCALE GROUP PROJECTS

The WT is open to invitations to participate in outside projects.

In 2004 the WT was invited to take part in the international work-

shop `In the labyrinth´ organised by the foundation Vivere Venezia.

In addition to the WT, other leading European design schools were

invited to design a new clear and legible system of signs and orienta-

tion for public spaces in Venice with the aim of improving the city´s

current chaotic character. The WT´s proposal was to develop an audio

signage system called `Salvatore´. The film entitled `Sirens of Venice´

visualizes the presence of this system in the near future.

In 2005 the WT was approached by the Festival International de

l´Affiche et des Arts Graphiques de Chaumont, France to represent

the Netherlands in the festival´s yearly exhibition. The WT literally

presented itself by relocating the entire school - participants, staff

and equipment - for seven weeks to the exhibition space `le Garage´.

Instead of a traditional presentation, the WT selected 11 significant

contemporary Dutch designers for their particular ability to provide

valid and compelling solutions to contemporary design issues, for a

series of lectures, visual presentations and a collaborative publication.

Each WT participant worked closely with one of these designers to for-

mulate, together, a means of representing their work. During the seven

weeks of the exhibition, participants worked in the exhibition space,

constantly updating the presentation of their respective dialogues. The

publication `Dutch Resource, collaborative exercises in graphic design´

was presented in Galerie Anatome in Paris, October 2006.