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About the Institute

The Institute offers four graduate programs and three undergraduate programs, together with cross-curricular elements, including KADK’s PhD school.

Industrial Design

The Institute of Product Design is the setting for a series of very different professional design environments. These are environments, which possess a certain affinity in the area of product design. These include: co-design, industrial design, ceramic design, clothing design and crafts (glass and ceramics).

The Institute wishes to contribute to the continued development of the modern concept of design. For many years, the School of Design’s environment in Industrial Design has developed a special focus on the relationship between problem, methodology and design: for example, in the fields of robotics, transport, the hospital sector etc. This environment has also been a driving force in the development of standards for problem-based learning. The environment in Co-Design focuses particularly on the development of problem and vision, where it is often relevant to involve a wide range of stakeholders. We have worked on major societal issues such as the question of waste and the future demands placed on municipal services. The functionality of products has been the basis for this industrial design, but today the issue of functionality has expanded significantly to include communicative, emotional and identity-related aspects.

The School of Design’s fashion research has focused particularly on the cultural values of design, as they are developed in interaction between designers, manufacturers and markets and with cultural fates in specific local contexts such as art objects, luxury goods, trend phenomena and welfare benefits. 

The creation of cultural value is a central theme in the Institute’s area of work through curator and exhibition practice: for example, in the clothing environment’s exhibition and event activities, co-design’s experimental exhibitions, the ceramic environment’s exhibition initiative, Copenhagen Ceramics and, above all, the craft studies’ glass and ceramic biennales on Bornholm, which have now evolved into an international institution. 

Specifically in the clothing, ceramics and glass environments, the Institute is also a setting for experimental and material-oriented research in design. The ceramic environment has been a pioneer in terms of redefining the workshop as an experimental research and development environment, which we call SuperFormLab. Visit SuperFormLab

Study Programs - Bachelor
Study Programs - Master
Interview with head of institute Troels Degn Johansson

Interview with head of institute Troels Degn Johansson

"We make products that interpret tradition and bring us to a new place. Products and solutions in the Danes' everyday life that grab people's attention, making them think: I hadn't thought of this; I didn't realise this was something you could do!"