Designtheory

Design theory refers to understanding the methods, strategies, research and analysis of the practice of design.

Design theory has been approached and interpreted in many ways, from personal statements of design principles, through constructs of the philosophy of design to a search for a design science.

The essay "Ornament and Crime" by Adolf Loos from 1908 is one of the early 'principles' design-theoretical texts. Others include Le Corbusier's Vers une architecture, and Victor Papanek's Design for the real world (1972).

In a 'principles' approach to design theory, the De Stijl movement promoted a geometrical abstract, "ascetic" form of purism that was limited to functionality. This modernist attitude underpinned the Bauhaus movement. Principles were drawn up for design that were applicable to all areas of modern aesthetics.

For an introduction to the philosophy of design see the article by Per Galle at the Royal Danish Academy.

An example of early design science was Altshuller's Theory of inventive problem solving, known as TRIZ, from Russia in the 1940s. Herbert Simon's 1969 The sciences of the artificial began a more scientific basis to the study of design. Since then the further development of fields such as design methods, design research, design science and design thinking has promoted a wider understanding of design theory.

Design theory is linked to many other disciplines, including the humanities, engineering, social sciences, history and philosophy.

In the art historical discourse, the question of the distinction between art and design has been discussed repeatedly. The design theory of Walter Gropius can be seen as a continuation of art theory, whereas this relationship is called into question in the environment of the HFG Ulm under Otl Aicher, Gui Bonsiepe and Tomás Maldonado.

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